Maggot infestation (myiasis) of external fixation pin sites in diabetic patients

Diabetic patients, and especially elderly patients in a low-nutritional or immunocompromised state, are prone to a variety of opportunistic infections. ‘Myiasis’ is a term that refers to non-iatrogenic infestation of tissues by larvae, commonly known as maggots, of dipterous flies. Myiasis as a comp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2008-09, Vol.102 (9), p.950-952
Main Authors: Verettas, D.-A.J., Chatzipapas, C.N., Drosos, G.I., Xarchas, K.C., Staikos, C., Chloropoulou, P., Kazakos, K.I., Ververidis, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance
Diptera
Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases)
Endocrinopathies
Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance
External fixation
External Fixators - parasitology
Female
Fracture complication
Fracture Fixation - adverse effects
General aspects
Greece
Human parasitic diseases due to arthropods
Humans
Infectious diseases
Larva
Maggots
Male
Medical sciences
Myiasis
Myiasis - parasitology
Myiasis - therapy
Opportunistic infection
Parasitic diseases
Risk Factors
Surgical Wound Infection - parasitology
Surgical Wound Infection - therapy
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Summary:Diabetic patients, and especially elderly patients in a low-nutritional or immunocompromised state, are prone to a variety of opportunistic infections. ‘Myiasis’ is a term that refers to non-iatrogenic infestation of tissues by larvae, commonly known as maggots, of dipterous flies. Myiasis as a complication of fracture treatment by means of external fixation of long bones has not been reported. We present three diabetic patients, who suffered maggot infestation of their external fixation pin holes, and their outcome. Diabetes, immobilization, poor hygiene and low immune status are predisposing factors for developing myiasis, an extremely rare complication for external fixation of fractures.
ISSN:0035-9203
1878-3503
DOI:10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.05.011