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Review
. 2024 Jan 5;24(1):51.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-023-08957-8.

Scalp myiasis associated with soft tissue sarcoma lesion: a case report and review of relevant literature

Sahar Azarmi  1 , Kamran Akbarzadeh  1 , Ali Ekrami  2 , Zahra Sheikh  3 , Omid Dehghan  4
Affiliations
Review

Scalp myiasis associated with soft tissue sarcoma lesion: a case report and review of relevant literature

Sahar Azarmi et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Sarcophagidae is one of the main fly families that is attracted to open wounds, ulcers, lesions, and other injuries for depositing their larvae. The presence of larvae of flies in human tissues makes myiasis. Myiasis on the scalp could be more frightening in comparison with myiasis on the other parts of the body. It is a rare myiasis case that shows the ability of myiasis agents to attack various parts of the body. On the other hand, reporting of myiasis cases by Sarcophagidae larvae is not common due to difficulties in their identification. This study aimed to emphasize the importance of Sarcohagidae larvae in producing myiasis by describing the first case of soft tissue sarcoma infestation and provides a review of human myiasis by larvae of the Sarcophagidae family during 2010-2023 and also a review of wound myiasis cases associated with malignancy during 2000-2023.

Case presentation: A case of sarcoma cancer myiasis is reported on the scalp of a 43-year-old man who referred to one of Tehran's hospitals for surgical treatment of cancer. Before surgery, insect larvae were observed in the area of ​​sarcoma. The larvae were isolated, examined morphologically, and identified as Sarcophaga spp.

Conclusions: Myiasis has been considered as a neglected disease. Publishing of myiasis cases could be useful to alert health policy-makers about its danger and appearance in the community. It is not usual but can be expected even on the scalp of the human head. Exact daily supervision and dressing of the wound could be recommended to prevent cutaneous myiasis.

Keywords: Fly; Iran; Myiasis; Sarcoma cancer; Sarcophaga.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The larvae in a soft tissue sarcoma in the upper part of the head
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The Sarcophaga spp. larvae collected from the soft tissue sarcoma lesion of the scalp; a: spiracular cavity developed as a deep depression, and b: entrance of spiracular cavity broad
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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