Ignatzschineria larvae Bacteremia Following Lucilia sp. Myiasis in an Irregular Migrant: A Case Report.

Bacteremia induced by wound myiasis is uncommon and therefore rarely suspected by clinicians when treating patients with neglected wounds. We present a case of Ignatzschineria larvae bacteremia as a complication of Lucilia sp. maggot wound myiasis in a young male migrant. This is the first reported human case of Ignatzschineria bacteremia in Slovenia and one of the 2 described in the literature where the fly larvae infesting the wounds of the patient with Ignatzschineria bacteremia were not only suspected to be Lucilia sp. but also entomologically identified.

Maggots in the Brain: Sequelae of Ignored Scalp Wound.

A 26-year-old male had suffered a burn injury to his scalp in childhood and ignored it. He presented with a complaint of something crawling on his head. Inspection of his scalp revealed multiple maggots on the brain surface with erosion of overlying bone and scalp. He was successfully managed by surgical debridement and regular dressing.

Semiochemicals released from five bacteria identified from animal wounds infested by primary screwworms and their effects on fly behavioral activity.

BACKGROUND: The Primary screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is a serious pest feeding on living flesh of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. It was eradicated from the United States in the early 1980s using the sterile male technique. However, it was recently detected in populations of wild deer and pets in the Florida Keys of the US. For monitoring purposes, screwworm flies are normally trapped using attractant bait with liver. However, there has been little effort to develop an efficient monitoring system for detection of screwworm flies using a specific synthetic attractant blend. Several studies have shown that odors from animal wound fluids attract screwworm adults, particularly gravid females. Bacteria associated with animal wounds have been identified that act as a major source for this attraction. To understand what volatiles attract screwworms we inoculated bovine blood with previously identified bacteria. We identified volatile chemicals released from the inoculated blood and other selected media over time and assessed the effect of those chemicals on behavioral activity of adult screwworm flies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 7 volatile compounds were collected from bacteria incubated in either broth or blood using solid-phase microextraction, and their chemical structures were identified by their characteristic mass spectrum fragments and confirmed by retention times in comparison to those of synthetic standards via gas chromatograph combined mass spectrometry analyses. Five major volatiles including dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, phenol, p-cresol and indole were detected from a mixture of 5 bacteria incubated in blood. The ratios of volatiles released differed among different incubation media, time and individual bacteria. A synthetic mixture containing the five compounds was demonstrated to be attractive to adult screwworm flies both in laboratory assays and field trapping trials. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results obtained from this study may assist in developing an efficient trapping system using the identified attractant blend to detect the infestation of primary screwworms. This is also the first study to explore the complex systems in volatile release profiles from 5 bacteria isolated from screwworm-infested animal wounds that are incubated with different media and incubation time, as well as individual and multi-species bacterial communities.

Characterization of isolates of Acanthamoeba from the nasal mucosa and cutaneous lesions of dogs.

Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae that are ubiquitously distributed in the environment and can cause encephalomyelitis in animals and humans. The factors that contribute to Acanthamoeba infections include parasite biology, genetic diversity, environmental spread, and host susceptibility. The aim of the present study was to characterize isolates of Acanthamoeba from the nasal mucosa and cutaneous lesions of dogs in order to access the occurence and pathogenicity of these organisms in this animal group. We studied 13 isolates of Acanthamoeba confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. They were sequenced, the genotype was determined, and their potential of pathogenicity was evaluated.

[A case of traumatic myiasis in a dog]. / Bir Köpekte Travmatik Myiasis Olgusu.

A male Rottweiler dog was brought to the Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Veterinary Clinics with the complaint of injury. On examination, on the right rear side of the dog, Myiasis larvae were found. Twenty-seven were collected and larval mouth parts and posterior stigmas were dissected. Upon microscopic examination, the larvae of the dog were identified as third stage Lucilia spp. In the region where larvea were located, erythema, edema, and petechial hemorrhages were observed as pathological disorders.

A case of traumatic myiasis in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) caused by Lucilia sericata.

Lucilia sericata is one of the factors resulting in facultative traumatic myiasis in animals and humans. L. sericata threatens human health and leads to significant economic losses in animal industry by leading to serious parasitic infestations. A three month old female rabbit was presented to the clinics of the Veterinary Faculty of Dicle University for the treatment of the wound located on the left carpal joint. The examination revealed that the wound was infested with larvae. The microscopic inspection of the larvae collected from the rabbit showed that they were the third instar larvae of L. sericata.

Consequent effects of the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) predation on parasite infection and body condition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Lesions ranging from surface wounds to deep tissue wounds caused by cormorant predation were observed on several species of the farmed fish in Pohorelice, Czech Republic. Two-year-old stocked common carp Cyprinus carpio harvested in late March were examined for ectoparasites and endoparasites, injuries extent, and lysozyme concentration in skin mucus. Additionally, three body condition indices were measured. Endoparasite infection occurred only scarcely. Wounded fish were more susceptible to the ectoparasites Gyrodactylus spp. and Dactylogyrus spp. (Monogenea), and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ciliophora). The intensity of infection of other ectoparasites Eudiplozoon nipponicum (Monogenea), Argulus spp. (Branchiura) and trichodinids (Ciliophora) did not significantly differ between wounded and control groups of fish. Lysozyme concentration in fish mucus was significantly higher in wounded fish and was positively associated with both the extent of damaged epithelium and Gyrodactylus spp. abundance. There were no differences in Fulton's condition factor and lipid content in muscle and liver tissues between wounded and non-wounded fish. Higher values of spleen-somatic index in wounded fish corresponded to increased intensity of parasite infection, most likely reflecting changes in immune system of infected fish. Although our results did not show any significant effect of cormorant attacks on fish condition, the wounded fish had significantly higher parasite numbers which could impact the growth or survival of the fish throughout the production season.

A finding of live Fasciolopsis buski in an ileostomy opening.

A pair of live Fasciolopsis buski wriggled their way out through the ileostomy opening in a young adult male who had recently migrated to Delhi and had met with a road traffic accident. Finding this parasite in the national capital, a non endemic area for Fasciolopsiasis, prompted us to emphasize the importance of changes in the ecology, human demography, and human behaviour that may provide an environment conducive to their adaptability to the new geographical requirements. Awareness of Fasciolopsiasis, which is endemic in some regions of India, especially in rural settings, is an important issue because early diagnosis is essential. Hence, a surveillance mechanism among the migratory population to institute preventive interventions is necessary.

Not the usual suspects: human wound myiasis by phorids.

Infestation of animal tissues by dipteran larvae (myiasis) commonly occurs in many species, but it is unusual for humans in temperate regions. Nevertheless, human myiasis is regularly observed in many primary care facilities in the United States. Beyond medical issues associated with treating human myiasis, both the causal agent and the longevity of myiasis can have legal implications, for example, as evidence of neglect. Cases of human myiasis in the United States typically involve imported myiasis from torsalo, Dermatobia hominis (Linnaeus, Jr.) (Diptera: Oestridae), or facultative myiasis from calliphorids. Here, however, we report two cases of wound myiasis caused by phorid larvae occurred in southeastern Nebraska within 10 mo. Degree-day analysis indicates initial infestation occurred 2 and 3 d before discovery. There are few previous reports of phorid wound myiasis; so, the occurrence of two cases in so short a period suggests that phorids are more important than previously appreciated.

Postinjury malaria: experiences of doctors in Battambang Province, Cambodia.

Quantitative studies indicate that one-third of trauma victims in malaria endemic areas of Cambodia develop postinjury malaria. The main aim of this study was to assess the medical significance of the complication. All local doctors with trauma care surgical experience in the Battambang Province of Cambodia were interviewed regarding their experiences with postinjury malaria (n = 18). The qualitative data were processed according to the Editing Style Analysis method. In the study area, postinjury malaria has been a well-known complication to trauma doctors for years. Local doctors claim that the complication is more common in severe as compared to moderate trauma. The complication is reported to adversely affect the general condition of trauma patients, increasing the risk of wound infections, and delaying postoperative recovery. It was found that the informants draw exclusively on personal clinical experience regarding this clinical knowledge, asserting that postinjury malaria is not taught at local medical schools. The study indicated that post-injury malaria is a significant complication to trauma where falciparum malaria is endemic. The knowledge of postinjury malaria in the study area seemed to be non-institutional; the informants' assessments were exclusively based on their personal clinical experience.

Laboratory-acquired parasitic infections from accidental exposures.

Parasitic diseases are receiving increasing attention in developed countries in part because of their importance in travelers, immigrants, and immunocompromised persons. The main purpose of this review is to educate laboratorians, the primary readership, and health care workers, the secondary readership, about the potential hazards of handling specimens that contain viable parasites and about the diseases that can result. This is accomplished partly through discussion of the occupationally acquired cases of parasitic infections that have been reported, focusing for each case on the type of accident that resulted in infection, the length of the incubation period, the clinical manifestations that developed, and the means by which infection was detected. The article focuses on the cases of infection with the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis), and African trypanosomiasis. Data about 164 such cases are discussed, as are data about cases caused by intestinal protozoa and by helminths. Of the 105 case-patients infected with blood and tissue protozoa who either recalled an accident or for whom the likely route of transmission could be presumed, 47 (44.8%) had percutaneous exposure via a contaminated needle or other sharp object. Some accidents were directly linked to poor laboratory practices (e.g., recapping a needle or working barehanded). To decrease the likelihood of accidental exposures, persons who could be exposed to pathogenic parasites must be thoroughly instructed in safety precautions before they begin to work and through ongoing training programs. Protocols should be provided for handling specimens that could contain viable organisms, using protective clothing and equipment, dealing with spills of infectious organisms, and responding to accidents. Special care should be exercised when using needles and other sharp objects.

Traumatic myiasis of geese in Hungary.

Five geese flocks were surveyed to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of traumatic myiasis and the fly species involved. Myiasis was recorded in all the flocks and the total number of infested geese was 26 (ca. 0.1% of the total numbers). The first cases were observed at the end of May, the last ones in August. Most birds (16/26) were infested in August. Each affected goose had only one lesion, which was located more frequently on the wings (14/26) than on any other body. In seven geese, Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was the only myiasis-causing species. In these cases the detransformed mean number of larvae per wound was 18.1 (range 5-40). Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was found to be solely responsible for the lesions of 12 birds, with detransformed mean of 94.0 (range 2-893) larvae per goose. The larvae of this species appeared to be generally less invasive than those of W. magnifica, but in three cases they were also deeply embedded in the wounds. In seven geese larvae of both fly species developed together in and around the wounds. With the exception of one lesion, there were more larvae of W. magnifica (detransformed mean of 21.8 with a range of 1-55) than that of L. sericata (detransformed mean of 11.2 with a range of 2-61) in these mixed infections. Predisposing conditions for development of traumatic myiasis in geese included plucking of feathers, other injuries and bacterial infections (e.g. inflammation of the phallus).

Wildlife forensic entomology: determining time of death in two illegally killed black bear cubs.

Forensic entomology is now commonly used to determine time of death in human death investigations. However, it can be equally applicable to wildlife crimes. This paper describes the use of entomology to determine time of death in the illegal killing of two young bear cubs in Manitoba, Canada. Two cubs were found shot, disemboweled, with their gall bladders removed. Natural Resource officers (Conservation Officers) and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.) officer examined the remains, and the R.C.M.P. officer collected insect evidence. The only insects on the remains were adult blow flies coming to lay eggs and the blow fly eggs themselves (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The time of hatch was recorded and the insects were reared to adulthood. Time of hatch, together with species identification, macro and micro climate and lab developmental data were used to determine the time of death. The time was consistent with the time that the defendants were seen at the scene and was used in their conviction. This case illustrates that insect evidence can be equally as valuable in poaching cases as in homicide cases. However, in most cases Conservation Officers are unaware of this science. It is therefore, extremely important for more Conservation Officers to be educated about this field.

Comparative rearing of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in dead and living tissues and the impact of cold storage on pupal survival.

Larvae from adults of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner) emerging from pupal cold storage (4 degrees C for 80-100 d) were reared in wound and dead tissues. Of 2,150 first instars placed on a mixture of muscle + liver in a climate-controlled room, 47.1% molted to 2nd instar, 6.1% to 3rd instar, and 4.6% pupated. Two females emerged from these pupae after 14 d. To synchronize adult emergence, 191 pupae that were reared in living or dead tissues and were 2, 8, and 11 d old were cold-stored in lots according to age. Adult emergence was greatest in pupae of 2-d-old (57.1%) and, pupae developing in living and dead tissues, 22.5 and 8.7%, respectively. When the experiment was repeated with cold-stored pupae from 0 to 11 d old, developing in living tissues, the highest emergence was again in 2-d-old pupae (55.0%). These data have important implications for the control of adult emergence which may be used in further biological studies.

Studies of wound myiasis among sheep and goats in North Sinai Governorate, Egypt.

Myiasis of man and animals is a real welfare problem of world wide distribution particularly in animal raising countries. Studies of myiasis of sheep and goats in North Sinai resulted in the identification of 21 species of myiasis producing flies. The predominant species was Musca domestica followed by Lucilia sericata and the least abundant was M. albina. In general, sheep were more infested with wound myiasis than goats. The overall infestation rate was high in summer, followed by spring then autumn. The least rate of infestation was winter. As to the different areas examined, the high rate of infestation was in Bir Al-Abd, followed by Al Hasanah, Al Arish, Al Sheikh-Zowaid and lastly Rafah. The factors predisposing to wound myiasis in a descending order of importance in goats were open wound, shearing wound, caseous lymphadenitis, foot rot, faecal staining, ophthalmo or facial eczema, horn fracture, rumen fistula and lastly posterior paralysis. In sheep, the most important cause was caseous lymphadenitis followed by foot rot, then open wound and faecal staining, shearing wound, and ophthalmo or facial eczema otherwise more or less the same as in goats. It is concluded that myiasis among edible animals is a problem of veterinary and economic importance. The clinical features range between mild annoyance to severely disfiguring or fatal. No doubt, poor hygiene, presence of draining wounds, depressed level of farmers' consciousness and immobility presidose to different anatomic types of myiasis which may extend to man.

Experimental infection routes of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in mice.

Stomach intubation is the most common method used in the experimental infection of animals with Angiostrongylus cantonensis. In order to compare the effectiveness of other possible transmission methods, groups of BALB/c mice were given infective third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis by different routes including intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injections, and penetration of anal mucosa, vaginal mucosa, conjunctival mucosa, lacerated skin, unabraded skin, foot pad and tail skin, while stomach intubation was used as control. Recovery of fifth-stage larvae was higher in mice inoculated with third-stage larvae subcutaneously. Successful infections were established through all experimental transmission routes except tail skin penetration. This study suggests that oral infection may not be the only route for the transmission of human angiostrongyliasis, and subcutaneous infection may be a better method for experimental infection.

Oviposition by screwworm flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) on contact with host fluids.

Factor affecting oviposition by screwworm flies, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), contacting different host fluids were examined in a laboratory bioassay. Fresh bovine blood, which does not release the attractive odors involved in host finding, nevertheless stimulated as many or more females to oviposit than did the other fluids tested. These other fluids included attractive fluid from screwworm-infected wounds (a favored oviposition site in nature) and cultures of Providencia rettgeri (a bacterium implicated in attractant production). Oviposition did not vary with batch of fresh blood or frozen storage, making blood a useful standard for comparing oviposition rates among studies. Oviposition did vary with the substrate to which the blood was applied, suggesting that an interaction between tactile and chemical stimuli is important for host recognition. Both insemination and darkness during bioassay increased oviposition rates, but the magnitude of these effects was small compared with that due to substrate. Age had no effect for at least 1 wk after females became gravid.

[Wound myiasis. Facultative myiasis]. / Wundmyiasis. Fakultative Myiasis.

Two cases of traumatic myiasis, one in Bowen carcinoma and one in chronic leg ulcer, are described. The maggots isolated were reared to the adult stage; they proved to be Calliphoridae of the genus Lucilia (presumably L. sericata). The various forms of myiasis and the species involved in such parasitism are described, and the therapeutic efficiency of proteolytic enzymes and the necrolytic potency of maggots are briefly discussed.