A case of enteric myiasis by Sarcophaga spp. larvae in stable worker from Iran

Abstract

Myiasis is the infestation of tissues of animals or man by parasitic dipterous fly larvae. Enteric myiasis occurs when eggs or larvae of the fly, placed on food or water, then, swallowed by man and are passed out in faeces. This case report describes a type of intestinal myiasis caused by Sarcophaga species larva in a 34-year-old stable worker man in Kurdistan Province, western Iran. The clinical signs consisted of abdominal distress, gastroenteritis, abdominal pain and loose faces. Following the disposal of maggots in his stool, larvae were identified to be Sarcophaga spp. based on characteristic patterns of posterior spiracles. The symptoms were completely resolved within 2 days. The patient seems to have been infested accidentally. This paper is the second report of human enteric myiasis caused by Sarcophaga species.