Oral Myiasis: The Diagnostic Conundrum- A Systematic Review

• Published in: Journal of clinical and diagnostic research Vol. 13; no. 9; pp. ZE01 - ZE04
• Main Authors: Kumar, Priyadharshini Saravana, Ramadas, Ramya, Shankaran, Priyadharini, Thampan, Niveditha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 01.09.2019
• Subjects: diptera; ivermectin; larvae; maggots; parasite
• ISSN: 2249-782X; 0973-709X
• DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2019/40493.13129

Introduction: Myiasis is a parasitic infection, which is infested in the skin by developing larvae (maggots). There are a variety of fly species (myiasis is Greek for fly) within the arthropod order Diptera. Their infestation in oral cavity is a rare condition. Aim: To systematically analyse the data available on the oral Myiasis, its aetiology, clinical presentation including age, gender, location of lesion, various treatment modalities and preventive measurements. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of studies which included case reports on oral myiasis was included and a literature search was conducted using online databases (Pubmed and google scholar) along with hand-searching. Case reports and case series on oral myiasis, oral myiasis reported in humans, articles from 1980 to 2017, full text availability and text available in English language were the inclusion criteria. Review articles, oral myiasis reported in animals and text available in other language were excluded. Results: A total of 98 articles from PubMed, 18 from Google Scholar, and 2 from hand search were identified. Out of 98 articles, 17 were shortlisted based on the inclusion criteria. Based on the analysis of collected data, gingiva of the anterior teeth and palate was the most commonly affected site with a male prediction and commonly seen between the age group of 20 to 40 years and was usually associated with patients presenting with CNS disorder. Conclusion: Oral myiasis is relatively a rare entity of the oral cavity and only few cases have been documented till date. Hence, further documentation of cases is required to comment elaborately on the inherent susceptibility of individuals with similar condition and associated complications of the disease. And it is the role of the dentist to be aware of the condition and manage them accordingly.