First report of furuncular myiasis caused by the larva of botfly, Dermatobia hominis, in a Taiwanese traveler

Abstract

A case of furuncular myiasis was reported for the first time in a 29-year-old young Taiwanese traveler returning from an ecotourism in Peru. Furuncle-like lesions were observed on the top of his head and he complained of crawling sensations within his scalp. The invasive larva of botfly, Dermatobia hominis, was extruded from the furuncular lesion of the patient. Awareness of cutaneous myiasis for clinicians should be considered for a patient who has a furuncular lesion and has recently returned from a botfly-endemic area.

Keywords: Botfly; Furuncular myiasis; Taiwan; Traveler.

Figure 1.. Physical examinations.

A: Furuncle-like nodules (arrows) located on the scalp of a 29-year-old man; B: A regional swelling of lymph node observed on his neck.

Figure 2.. Morphological characteristics of a third instar larva of D. hominis extruded from the furuncular lesion of this patient, characterized with a size of 7 mm×12 mm and the rows of black spines that resist extraction of larva.