Observations placeholder
Maggots in her toenails caused hallucinations
Identifier
006113
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Wonderfully gruesome
A description of the experience
Parasitol Int. 2008 Dec;57(4):509-11. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2008.04.014. Epub 2008 May 16. Subungual myiasis in a woman with psychiatric disturbance. Balcioğlu IC, Ecemiş T, Ayer A, Ozbel Y. Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Manisa, Turkey. drcbal@yahoo.com
Myiasis is caused by the invasion of tissues or organs of men and animals by dipterous larvae.
The disease is infrequent in Turkey. A case of a 65-year-old woman having been initially diagnosed with chronic psychosis, and found to have a left big toe nail invaded by the larvae of Calliphora spp., is presented.
A total of 17 maggots were removed from the left big toe of the patient, which were then determined as Calliphora spp. The patient has undergone surgical withdrawal of both nails of her big toes, followed by the administration of oral prophylactic antimicrobial treatment.
This is the second recorded case of subungual myiasis by Calliphora spp. in Turkey. Myiasis should be considered in patients with lower personal hygiene, especially with chronic psychiatric disturbances.
PMID: 18571464