Cutaneous myiasis

Cutaneous myiasis is a unique disease, endemic in tropical areas, and uncommon in the Western world, making its diagnosis difficult for physicians that are unfamiliar with the disease process. Larvae of a two-winged fly are inoculated through normal skin by a mosquito bite. The larvae grow in the subcutaneous tissues, feed off the surrounding tissues and develop into a fly. A patient with a seemingly commonplace cutaneous lesion which was a harbinger of a much more sinister, unique disease process, is presented. Salient features that characterise these lesions, the difficulty in accurate (and timely) diagnosis, treatment and a review of the literature are discussed with the aim of overcoming limitations of diagnosis and management.