Factors of susceptibility of human myiasis caused by the New World screw-worm, Cochliomyia hominivorax in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. Rod. BR 465, Km 7, Seropédica (RJ), Brazil
2Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmaniose (Setor de Entomologia Médica e Forense) do Instituto Oswaldo
Cruz - IOC/FIOCRUZ, RJ, Brazil
Abstract
This study was carried out between July 2007 and June 2008 and reports on the occurrence of human myiasis caused by the New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in São Gonçalo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Liquid or solid vaseline was used to suffocate the larvae, which were then preserved in 70% ethanol and sent to the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz for identification. C. hominivorax were identified in all 22 cases of myiasis. There were 12 male and 10 female patients with ages ranging from 03 to 71. Ethnically the highest incidence was among black people, with 17 cases. Open wounds were the main cause of the parasitosis, whereas poor personal hygiene, the low educational level, alcoholism, bedridden patients, and physical or mental disability were possibly secondary factors; in addition to all these factors the income of the patients was very low.
Keywords: blowfly; Calliphoridae; parasite; public health; zoophagous
Correspondence: a*zeize@uol.com.br, bgemoya@ufrrj.br, cmmcqueiroz@uol.com.br. *Corresponding author
Received: 23 November 2009 | Accepted: 13 November 2010 | Published: 4 February 2011
Copyright: This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.
ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 14
Batista-da-Silva JA, Moya-Borja GE, Queiroz MMC. 2011. Factors of susceptibility of human myiasis caused by the New World screw-worm, Cochliomyia hominivorax in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Journal of Insect Science 11:14 available online: insectscience.org/11.14