Cordylobia anthropophaga (African tumba fly)

Etiologic agent of furuncular myiasis Epidemiology: -> dozens of eggs are deposited on sand or drying laundry that is contaminated with urine or sweat Pathology: -> larvae hatch on contact with the body, penetrate the skin & produce boils from which they emerge 8-9 days later Clinical manifestations: -> uncomfortable lesions with a central breathing pore that emits bubbles when submerged in water Management: -> manual expression of larvae after air pore is coated with petrolatum to suffocate larvae & induce them to emerge

Properties

KINGDOM: animal PHYLUM: arthropod ORGANISM-CLASS: INSECTA ORDER: diptera

References

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed. Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 936