Myiasis
Definition
Infestation of a living human or other vertebrate by the larvae of flies, which feed on living or necrotic tissue, body fluids, or ingested food. Classified by site (wound, cavitary, intestinal, urinary) and by whether the fly is an obligate parasite or a facultative invader.
- What it is
- Infestation of living tissue by fly larvae
- Common sites
- Wounds, body cavities, intestines, urinary tract
- Fly behavior
- Obligate parasites (actively invade) or facultative invaders (attack damaged tissue only)
- Forensic use
- Evidence of neglect or abuse through duration and extent of untreated infestation
Common questions
What is myiasis and why does it matter in forensics?+
Myiasis is an infestation of living tissue by fly larvae. In forensic cases, it is key evidence of neglect or abuse because the extent of larval infestation shows how long a wound has gone untreated. The flies feed on living or necrotic tissue, body fluids, or ingested food, so the pattern of infestation helps establish duration of harm and failure of care.
How do fly larvae end up in different parts of the body?+
Fly larvae can infest wounds, body cavities, the intestines, or the urinary system depending on where flies lay eggs or where larvae migrate. Some flies are obligate parasites that actively invade living tissue, while others are facultative invaders that only attack when an opening exists. The location tells you something about the exposure and wound conditions.
Are there different types of flies that cause myiasis?+
Yes. Obligate parasitic flies are specialized invaders that can infest intact or healthy tissue. Facultative flies colonize only when there is already a wound, decay, or cavity. The species and behavior matter for understanding how the infestation began and how long it took to establish.
Related terms
- Background Infestation
- Pre-existing insect activity in a property unrelated to the victim. The entomologist must distinguish insect evidence directly linked to the victim (on...
- Duty of Care Failure
- In neglect prosecutions, the legal standard requires showing that a carer had a duty to the victim, failed to meet it, and...
- Facultative Myiasis
- Myiasis caused by species that normally breed in carrion or organic debris but can infest living tissue, particularly necrotic wounds. Lucilia sericata,...
- Infestation Age
- The minimum period an infestation has been established, back-calculated from the oldest (most developed) larval stage present using accumulated temperature data. Gives...
- Medicolegal Entomology
- The branch of forensic entomology applied to death investigation. Primary applications: PMI estimation, scene relocation evidence, wound distribution on skeletonised remains, entomotoxicology.
- Obligate Myiasis
- Myiasis caused by species whose larvae must develop in living tissue to complete their life cycle. The New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax)...
- Stored-Product Entomology
- The branch addressing insects in food commodities, grain, pharmaceuticals, or packaged products. Forensic applications include determining where contamination occurred in the supply...
- Supply Chain Contamination Analysis
- In stored-product entomology, the process of using insect species identity, life stage, and population structure to determine whether food contamination occurred at...
- Synanthropic Species
- Insect species that live in close association with human habitation and benefit from human food or waste. Many urban forensic cases involve...
- Urban Entomology (Forensic)
- Application of entomology to civil, criminal, and regulatory cases involving insects in human living environments. Covers structural infestations, neglect/abuse cases, and myiasis...
Explained in these topics
- The Three Branches: Medicolegal, Urban, Stored-ProductInfestation of living tissue by fly larvae. Forensically relevant in neglect and abuse cases where duration of untreated wound infestation is evidence of the f...
- Urban Entomology: Neglect, Myiasis and Living VictimsInfestation of a living human or other vertebrate by the larvae of flies, which feed on living or necrotic tissue, body fluids, or ingested food. Classified by...