Insect Infestation: How Bugs Lay Eggs in Your Body
In the United States, insects laying eggs in human bodies is not a common issue. It is more prevalent in countries in Central and South America where structures are less enclosed. If you suspect this is happening to you, it is recommended to reach out to a physician instead of an entomologist.
Myiasis, which is an infestation of maggots, usually involves a type of fly. The human botfly is known to directly affect people, especially in parts of Mexico and South America. There are also other types of bot flies that can affect humans, such as the rodent bot fly found in North America, horse bot flies, and cattle bot flies. Flesh flies are distributed worldwide, including North America.
There are different types of myiasis, including furuncular myiasis where eggs hatch on the skin, migratory myiasis where animals pass on the infestation to humans, intestinal myiasis from ingesting fly eggs, and wound myiasis where flies are attracted to dead tissue.
Despite the unsettling nature of myiasis, there is a positive aspect to it. Doctors have developed maggot therapy using sterile grown maggots that feed on dead tissue in wounds. This therapy, approved by the FDA in 2004, has been used for over 5,000 years and has proven to be beneficial in healing wounds.
While myiasis may seem disturbing, it is important to understand the different types and how they can affect humans. If you have any bug-related questions, you can reach out to experts like Wizzie Brown for more information.
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