Furuncular Myiasis Secondary to Dermatobia hominis Diagnosed With Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Emergency Department

Cureus. 2024 Nov 23;16(11):e74323. doi: 10.7759/cureus.74323. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Abstract

Furuncular myiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the larvae of Dermatobia hominis, or the human botfly, which burrow under the skin causing cystic lesions to develop. A six-year-old boy presented with multiple scalp lesions. The mother reported travel to Ecuador one month prior. Bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) demonstrated hyperechoic foreign bodies superficial to the skull with surrounding anechoic rings, edema, and posterior acoustic shadowing. The diagnosis of furuncular myasis was made, and foreign body removal yielded multiple larvae. In addition to a thorough history and physical examination, POCUS is a useful modality to visualize encysted larvae and facilitate timely diagnosis of furuncular myiasis when evaluating head, neck, and extremity lesions.

Keywords: dermatobia hominis; furuncular myiasis; human botfly; pocus; point-of-care ultrasound.

Publication types

  • Case Reports