Bacon therapy and furuncular myiasis

Doctors should consider the possibility of furuncular myiasis in patients that develop skin lesions that do not heal after travel to tropical areas. Furuncular myiasis refers to the infestation of the skin with fly larvae. The cases of four patients are discussed. The patients had lesions with central openings from which the larvae occasionally protruded. The patients were treated with raw bacon placed over the central openings. After three hours, the larvae had migrated into the bacon and could be grasped and removed with tweezers. After treatment, the lesions healed without complications. Antibiotic treatment is only necessary in cases where secondary infection develops. Furunculosis may develop after travel to central and south America and Africa.