Cordylobia anthropophaga mastitis mimicking breast cancer: case report.

A case of furuncular myiasis of the breast due to infestation by the larva of Cordylobia anthropophaga in a young lady is presented. Some of the physical presentations of Cordylobia anthropophaga mastitis are similar to those of carcinoma of the breast. High index of suspicion in endemic areas, including patients who had visited such areas, the characteristic intense itching of the affected breast, the use of the magnifying hand lens and subsequent extraction of the offending maggots are the invaluable aids to diagnosis and treatment. The ulcer left on the breast after extraction of the maggot should be biopsied and the associated ill defined mass and skin changes must be seen to resolve completely before carcinoma of the breast can be safely ruled out. The various methods of extraction and the preventive measures are highlighted. Though furuncular myiasis has been reported to involve every part of domestic animals, this is the first reported case in literature involving the human breast.