Bacon therapy and furuncular myiasis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a simple, noninvasive method for removing fly larvae from patients with furuncular myiasis.

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

Ambulatory office of a tertiary care center.

PATIENTS: Three patients who presented with Dermatobia hominis infestation.

INTERVENTION: The patients with D hominis infestation were treated with the application of bacon fat over the larval apertures.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Removal of intact larvae.

RESULTS

Within 3 hours of the application of bacon, the larvae had migrated sufficiently far out of the skin to be removed with tweezers. Ten larvae were removed with this method. There were no treatment failures or complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Furuncular myiasis will be seen more frequently in temperate areas as individuals travel to endemic areas. We describe the clinical characteristics of myiasis and a simple method of treatment that permits rapid diagnosis and cure.