Aural myiasis by Sarcophagidae in a pediatric patient: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Physicians often treat patients in the urgent and non-urgent settings who present with various types of foreign bodies lodged in the external auditory canal (EAC). This can cause significant distress to the patient, as well as the caregiver in pediatric cases. Typically, these objects are inanimate and include beads, rocks, toys, craft supplies, food particles, and jewelry. However, sometimes the patient will present with biotic organisms in the ear that seem to cause considerably more distress and damage, including otalgia and otorrhea from abrasions to the EAC, or damage to the tympanic membrane. These creatures can present alive or dead in the EAC. The culprits can include crawling and flying species. However, even rarer, the larval stages have been reported. When an ear is infested by Diptera larvae, the juvenile stage of a fly, the parasitosis is known as aural myiasis. Case Report: In this case, a 7-year-old boy in acute distress presented to the emergency department with left ear otalgia and pruritis. His ear canal was covered in dried blood, and he was found to have 15–20 maggots belonging to the Sarcophagidae family in the left EAC that were removed via lidocaine application and normal saline irrigation. Conclusion: The patient and his caregivers were educated on hygienic practices and advised on outpatient follow-up. Further research is indicated for best practices treating aural myiasis and establishing environmental risk factors.