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Case Reports
. 2011 Jul;6(3):199-203.

Orbital myiasis

Affiliations
Case Reports

Orbital myiasis

Gholamreza Khataminia et al. J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2011 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: To present a case of massive orbital myiasis.

Case report: An 87-year-old debilitated woman suffering from left ocular pain of four days' duration presented with a severely necrotized left orbit and several attached live larvae. The upper and lower eyelids and the eyeball were completely destroyed. She had history of eyelid surgery in the same eye due to a skin lesion, apparently some type of skin cancer, 15 years before. The larvae were identified as Chrysomya bezziana (Diptera: Calliphoridae) or old world screwworm fly.

Conclusion: Infestation of ocular and orbital tissues by fly larvae (ophthalmomyiasis) progresses rapidly and can completely destroy orbital tissues within days, especially in patients with poor general health. Treatment consists of removal of the larvae and surgical debridement.

Keywords: Chrysomya bezziana; Myiasis; Orbit.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Initial presentation of the patient
Figure 2
Figure 2
Appearance after exenteration
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cephalopharyngeal skeleton and anterior spiracle
Figure 4
Figure 4
Posterior spiracles
Figure 5
Figure 5
Third instar of Chrysomya bezziana larvae

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