Gastrointestinal symptoms resembling ulcerative proctitis caused by larvae of the drone fly Eristalis tenax

Abstract

We report a case of facultative intestinal myiasis due to larvae of the drone fly Eristalis tenax, also named the rat-tailed maggots. The development of larvae in the lower bowel was responsible for non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms that resembled ulcerative proctitis. The diagnosis was established upon the observation of four spontaneously excreted mobile larvae. The definite identification of the E. tenax species was made possible by scanning electron microscopy. The clinical outcome was satisfactory.

Keywords:

• Eristalis tenax
• Drone fly larvae
• Rat-tailed maggot
• Proctitis
• Facultative intestinal myiasis
• Scanning electron microscopy

Acknowledgements

The authors thank André Massot and Philippe Lantier (Medical Laboratory, Chartres, France) and Juan Pablo Vanegas (Urology Office, St-François clinic, Mainvilliers, France) for their precious help in the collection of the data. The authors are very grateful towards Cécilia Rousselot-Denis for her reinterpretation of the histological slides. The authors are indebted to André Lequet, since he provided them an image of the adult drone fly from his personal collection.

They thank the patient and her family for their cooperation with this study.

Data were generated as part of the routine work at the University Hospital in Tours, France, and of the laboratory of Chartres, France.