[Human myiasis in middle Europe]

A report is given on 4 cases of myiasis of the mucous membrane of different localisation and etiology observed in the GDR (vaginal myiasis by Lucilia sericata, urethral and vesicular myiasis by Calliphora vicina, rectal myiasis by Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis and ophthalmomyiasis by Oestrus ovis). Biological peculiarities and habits of life of the causative organisms, pathogenesis of the different forms of parasitosis in man and clinical pictures are described. The cases mentioned show that occasionally is to reckoned with autochthonic myiasis - above all due to larve of blue-bottles, meat and bot-flies - not only in tropic countries, but also in Middle Europe (especially during the warm seasons and when a considerable quantity of flies is present). Among the predisposing factors for furunculous and migrating skin myiasis as well as wound, urogenital, intestinal and other myiases of the mucous membrane comatous conditions due to severe basic diseases play a special part. On unhygienic conditions, however, the parasitic invasion of the maggots of certain, in general harmless species of flies into the integumentum and into various hollow organs of man is just possible also in primarily healthy persons with good general condition. In an adequate anamnesis and suspicious clinical symptomatology, therefore, a myiasis should be included into differential-diagnostic considerations.