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An unusual nosocomial infection: nasotracheal myiasis
1Department of Otolaryngology, St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Journal of Otolaryngology
|February 1, 1993
Abstract:
A number of fly maggots were found emerging from the nose and tracheostomy site of an 82-year-old woman who had been in a coma for two months in an acute care hospital in a large Canadian city. This case history indicates that the infestation was hospital-acquired and although undoubtedly an extremely rare occurrence, at least in Canada, points out the risk of myiasis in the unconscious, debilitated patient.
Insights
Hospital-acquired myiasis, a rare fly infestation, occurred in a comatose patient in Canada. This case highlights the risk of maggot infestation in unconscious, debilitated individuals within healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hospital Epidemiology
Background:
- Elderly patients in prolonged comas are susceptible to opportunistic infestations.
- Hospital environments can harbor vectors for infections, even in developed countries.
- Myiasis, or maggot infestation, is uncommon in industrialized nations.