Fly Attacks

19-22Infestation of humans by fly larvae could even lead to death. It poses a major threat to the livestock industry in India as well. But the same deadly fly larvae could also be used to treat non-healing wounds and as a possible solution to fight the increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics. DID you know that humans and other animals are not only attacked by numerous adult insects but also by their larval stages. Such an invasion of human and animal tissues by dipterous larvae (‘dipterous’ meaning insects having usually a single pair of functional wings, including the true flies and mosquitoes) is known as ‘fly strike’ or myiasis. The larvae, at least for a certain period, feed on the host's dead or living tissue, liquid body substances, and ingested food. The term myiasis was first used in 1840 to refer to disease of humans and animals originating specifically with fly larvae as opposed to those caused by insect larvae in general.Accordingly, infestation with larvae of moths is called scolechiasis and with those of beetles canthariasis. Myiasis may not show any symptoms, but sometimes it may result in more or less severe problems and even death when larvae invade body cavities or areas where they cannot be directly examined