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Cutaneous Myiasis in a Healthy Young Adult From Saudi Arabia: A Report of a Rare Case

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Myiasis is a parasitic infection of the skin tissue caused by larvae, which are commonly known as maggots, that is typically observed in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and the Americas. Cutaneous myiasis is the most prevalent form of myiasis and is categorized as furuncular, creeping (migratory), or wound (traumatic) myiasis based on its clinical presentation. Few cases of cutaneous myiasis have been observed in Saudi Arabia, and most of these have been observed in southern Saudi Arabia. We present the case of a 14-year-old female patient in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, who developed several itchy, painful, and oozing skin lesions after spending one month in a rural area of Jizan. The patient exhibited multiple raised erythematous boil-like lesions with a central punctum, and a foreign body protruded from one of the lesions. The foreign body was manually removed from the lesion using forceps. Furuncular myiasis was diagnosed because the foreign body comprised larvae. Subsequently, manual removal of all larvae was performed by applying pressure and using forceps. A course of oral antibiotics was administered to treat the bacterial infection, which developed as a complication of a preexisting parasitic infection. The patient was discharged after full recovery. Physicians should be aware of such cases because they are relatively rare in Saudi Arabia. To prevent misdiagnoses, careful medical history and examination should be performed.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.72790