Imported Furuncular Myiasis in a Non-Endemic Setting: Two Case Reports of Dermatobia hominis Infection in Romania and a Review of Reports from Southeast and Eastern Europe
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Furuncular myiasis is rarely reported in Southeast/Eastern Europe and may be underrecognized or misdiagnosed in non-endemic settings. We described two imported furuncular myiasis cases diagnosed in Romania following travel to Peru and confirmed the etiologic agent by larval morphology and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequencing. We also conducted a narrative review of published case reports/series from Southeast/Eastern Europe (1900–2025) and summarized case characteristics. A previously healthy 31-year-old woman and 32-year-old man presented with painful furuncle-like lesions on the upper back near the shoulder and the posterolateral upper arm, respectively, associated with pruritus and a sensation of movement. Each lesion had a central punctum with intermittent air bubbles. Occlusion of the breathing pore with petroleum jelly facilitated mechanical extraction of one barrel-shaped larva per lesion. Microscopy showed features consistent with second-instar Dermatobia hominis larvae, and COI sequencing demonstrated 97.14–99.33% identity with reference D. hominis sequences. Literature review identified 25 travel-associated cases, with D. hominis involved mostly after travel to Central/South America. These cases highlight the value of travel history and key diagnostic clues for D. hominis myiasis in travelers that may enable timely diagnosis and minimally invasive management. Greater awareness and reporting are needed to better define epidemiology.
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W7155189888