Cutaneous Myiasis: Is Lucilia cuprina Safe and Acceptable for Maggot Debridement Therapy?

Preservation of viable tissue is important in wound management. It is achieved by small, incremental removal of devitalised, necrotic and infected tissues. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) is used in septic necrotic wounds that fail to respond to conventional modalities. MDT has relied on Lucilia sericata, which consumes only necrotic tissues, as opposed to Lucilia cuprina, which devours both flesh and necrotic tissues. Recent findings have shown that L. cuprina consumes mainly necrotic and very small amounts of viable tissues and may be used in MDT where L. sericata is very rare or absent. Here we describe wound healing in a patient from rural South Africa with cutaneous myiasis. Our findings agree with workers who indicated that L. cuprina could be used in MDT.