Sounds like a horror movie, right? But Myiasis—aka infestation of the human body by fly larvae—is a real medical condition, and trust us, it’s every bit as disturbing as it sounds. These aren’t your average houseflies. These are meat-eating maggots that burrow into your skin, eyes, ears… and in severe cases, even into your brain 😱

So how do they get in? Why do they choose you? And what can you do to stop this absolute nightmare from happening? Let’s break it down.

What Is Myiasis and How Do Maggots End Up Living Inside Humans?

Myiasis happens when certain types of fly larvae (Dermatobia hominis, Chrysomya bezziana, and others) invade and grow inside human or animal tissue. While most flies are content with trash and leftovers, these guys lay their eggs on open wounds, spoiled food, or even directly onto your clothes or skin. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow in—and boom, you’re officially hosting a parasitic infestation.

These maggots don’t just live in the body—they feed on live tissue, sucking nutrients and destroying flesh as they grow. Think swelling, pain, oozing wounds, and even permanent damage if not treated early.

How Do People Get Infected?

You don’t need to be living in extreme conditions to get myiasis. Here’s how it can sneak up on anyone:

• Eating food contaminated with fly eggs or larvae 
• Having an open wound exposed to flies
• Traveling to tropical or subtropical regions without proper protection
• Wearing clothes or sleeping under bedding where flies laid eggs
• Basically, if you’re in a fly-heavy environment and not careful about hygiene, you could become an unintentional maggot hotel.

Signs You Might Have Flesh-Eating Maggots in Your Body

Yeah, we know. This part gets graphic—but it’s important to know what to look for. Symptoms depend on where the larvae are living in your body, but common signs include:

• Boil-like lesions that won’t heal, often with a small hole in the center
• Feeling something move under your skin (yep, the maggot’s breathing through the wound)
• Severe pain, inflammation, or tissue damage
• Foul-smelling pus or discharge from infected wounds
• If the maggots are in your ear: buzzing, pain, or hearing loss
• In the eye: redness, pain, vision problems
• In the stomach: vomiting, diarrhea, or spotting maggots in your stool
• Genital area: itching, swelling, discharge, or visible larvae

In extreme cases, the larvae can invade deep tissues, destroy muscles and bones, or even reach the brain—leading to sepsis or death if not treated promptly.

How Is Myiasis Diagnosed?

Sometimes it’s as simple (and horrifying) as spotting a squirming larva inside a wound. But if the infestation is deeper or not visible, doctors may need to run additional tests:

• Blood tests to check for infection
• Imaging like ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans if internal organs are affected
• Microscopic analysis or DNA tests to identify the type of fly involved
• A “breathing hole” (a visible puncture in the skin) is often a key clue—it allows the larva to breathe while staying safely inside your body

Treatment: How Do You Get Maggots Out of the Body?

Here’s where the real (but oddly satisfying) part comes in: getting the maggots out. Treatments may include:

• Suffocating the larvae using petroleum jelly, oil, or occlusive dressings to block their air supply
• Manually removing them with sterile tweezers or surgical instruments
• Cleaning and dressing the wound thoroughly afterward
• Antibiotics if there’s a secondary infection
• Ivermectin – an anti-parasitic medication that may help kill larvae, though it’s not yet a universal cure

In severe cases involving internal organs or deep tissue, surgical removal is necessary

And let’s be clear: you absolutely should not try to remove maggots on your own. Doing it wrong can leave parts of the larva behind, making things worse.

How to Prevent Myiasis – Because No One Wants Maggots in Their Body

The good news? Myiasis is totally preventable. Just follow these simple (but crucial) habits:

• Keep your personal hygiene on point
• Cover any open wounds properly
• Cook food thoroughly and avoid leftovers exposed to flies
• Don’t leave trash or food scraps lying around
• If you’re in tropical areas, sleep under mosquito nets and avoid letting flies into your living space
• Never wear clothes left outside overnight—flies may lay eggs on them!
• Travelers, hikers, farmers, and anyone living in rural or tropical environments should take extra precautions.

So yeah… Myiasis isn’t just gross—it’s dangerous.

Would you rather be eaten alive by flesh-eating bugs, or just wear bug spray and cover your wounds?

Easy choice, right?