Rare cutaneous myiasis of the face due to Lund’s fly (Cordylobia rodhaini) in a British traveller returning from Uganda

Abstract

We present a rare cause for cutaneous furuncular myiasis in a 55-year-old British traveller returning from Uganda. Initially presenting with what appeared to be a cellulitic furuncle on her forehead, she returned to the emergency department 3 days later with extensive preseptal periorbital swelling and pain. Occlusive treatment with petroleum jelly was applied and one larva manually extracted and sent to London School of Tropical Medicine for examination. It was identified as Lund’s Fly (Cordylobia rodhaini), a rare species from the rainforests of Africa with only one other case reported in the UK since 2015. Ultrasound imaging identified another larva, necessitating surgical exploration and cleaning. The lesion subsequently healed completely and the patient remains well.