Cordylobia anthropophaga

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Cordylobia anthropophaga

Adult

Larva

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Diptera

Family: Calliphoridae

Tribe: Calliphorini

Genus: Cordylobia

Species: C. anthropophaga

Binomial name

Cordylobia anthropophaga
(Blanchard, 1872)

Synonyms

Ochromyia
anthropophagaBlanchard, 1872

Cordylobia anthropophaga, the mango fly, tumbu fly, tumba fly, putzi fly, or skin maggot fly, is
a species of blow-fly common in East and Central Africa. It is a parasite of
large mammals (including humans) during its larval stage.[1] C. anthropophaga has been endemic in
the subtropics of Africa for more than 135 years and is a common cause of myiasis in humans in the
region.[2]
Its specific epithet anthropophaga derives from the Greek word anthropophagos, "human eater".
"The mode of infection by the Cayor Worm. Doctors Rodhain and Bequaert conclude, from their
observations in the Congo Free State, that Cordylobia anthropophaga (Grunberg) lays its eggs on
the ground. The larvae, known generally as Cayor Worms, crawl over the soil until they come in
contact with a mammal, penetrate the skin and lie in the subcutaneous tissue, causing the formation
of tumors. On reaching full growth, the larvae leave the host, fall to the ground, bury themselves and
then pupate. This fly is said to be the most common cause of human or animal myiasis in tropical
Africa, from Senegal to Natal. In the region of Lower Katanga where these investigations were
made, dogs appeared to be the principal hosts, although Cordylobia larvae were found also in
guinea-pigs, a monkey, and two humans. The larvae are always localized on those parts of the hosts
which come in immediate contact with the soil." (Ann. Soc. Entom. de Belgique, Iv, pp. 192197,
1911) summary translation in Entomological News. 1911 Vol. xxii:467.
 Contents
[hide]

1History of discovery

2Life cycle

3Clinical presentation in humans

4Transmission

5Reservoir and vector

6Diagnostics

7Treatment

8Epidemiology

9Public health and prevention strategies

10References

History of discovery[edit]
The larvae of the tumbu fly, Cordylobia anthropophaga, were first described in Senegal in 1862, and
Blanchard first described the adult and gave it its name in 1893. In 1903, Grunbert placed the tumbu
fly in a new genus, Cordylobia.[3]

Life cycle[edit]
Female tumbu flies deposit 100-300 eggs in sandy soil often contaminated with animal feces. The
hatched larvae can remain viable in the soil for 915 days until they need to find a host for
development.[4] If a larva finds a host, it penetrates the skin and takes 812 days developing through
three larval stages before it reaches the prepupal stage. It then leaves the host, drops to the ground,
buries itself, and pupates. It then becomes an adult fly able to reproduce and begin the cycle all over
again.[5]

Clinical presentation in humans[edit]

Successful penetrations in humans results in furuncular (boil-like) myiasis, typically on the backs of
arms or about the waist, lower back, or buttocks.[6]
C. anthropophaga rarely causes severe problems, and mainly causes cutaneous myiasis. Geary et
al. describe the presentation of cutaneous myiasis caused by the tumbu fly: "At the site of
penetration, a red papule forms and gradually enlarges. At first the host may experience only
intermittent, slight itching, but pain develops and increases in frequency and intensity as the lesions
develop into a furuncle. The furuncle's aperture opens, permitting fluids containing blood and waste
products of the maggot to drain."[5]
Transmission[edit]
Female tumbu flies lay their eggs in soil contaminated with feces or urine or on damp clothing or bed
linens. Damp clothing hanging to dry makes for a perfect spot. The larvae hatch in 23 days and
attach to unbroken skin and penetrate the skin, producing swelling.[7] If the larvae hatch in soil, any
disturbance of the soil causes them to wriggle to the surface to penetrate the skin of the host. [5]

Reservoir and vector[edit]

A natural reservoir is defined as an organism that can harbor a pathogen indefinitely with no ill
effects. Although C. anthropophaga larvae can cause ill effects for animal hosts, relative to myiasis in
humans, animal hosts are reservoirs.
Many animals are hosts of C. anthropophaga. The dog is the most common domestic host and
several species of wild rats are the preferred field hosts. Domestic fowl are dead-end hosts; the
larvae cannot develop when they enter the tissue of a fowl. [3]
Humans are in fact accidental hosts; tumbu fly larvae do not usually infect humans and are not
necessary for the transmission cycle of the fly.[2]
A vector is an organism that carries the parasites (the larvae) from one host to another. The tumbu
fly itself is the vector in a loose sense, because the female deposits the eggs in soil or on damp
cloth, where the larvae can hatch and attach to human or animal skin. [7]

Diagnostics[edit]
Cutaneous myiasis caused by the tumbu fly should be suspected when a patient who has just spent
time in Africa presents with ulcers or boil-like sores. Definitive diagnosis is only possible when the
larvae are found. They should be removed and allowed to develop into adult flies for identification
and examination purposes.

Treatment[edit]
When C. anthropophaga causes cutaneous myiasis, the larvae more often than not can be removed
without any incision. Covering the punctum (the breathing hole) with petroleum jelly or similar
substances cuts off the air supply and forces the maggot to the surface, where it is easy to capture
with forceps. If this does not work, local anesthetic can be administered and an incision made to
widen the punctum and remove the maggot.[5] Another treatment discussed in the March
2014 Journal of the American Medical Association is to inject a combination of anaesthetic and
epinephrine into the insect's chamber. Less drastically, because larvae of C. anthropophaga have
smaller hooked bristles on the cuticle than those of Dermatobia hominis, it often is practical just to
push on each side of the hole to squeeze the maggot out, especially after first enlarging the
punctum. It is important not to burst the larva to prevent the risk of granulomatous or
serious inflammatory reaction.[8]
Patients should be monitored for additional and subsequent lesions, as development does not occur
in unison and some larvae may take longer to reach the prepupal stage. Antiseptics or antibiotics
may be useful to prevent bacterial infection after removal of the larvae, but in practice are not often
necessary; the secretions of the larva tend to discourage bacterial growth. As a rule, the wound may
be expected to heal readily.[9]

Epidemiology[edit]
The tumbu fly is endemic to the tropical regions of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Myiasis
caused by C. anthropophaga is the most common cause of myiasis in Africa, but can be seen
worldwide because of air travel, as human movements carry infestation outside endemic areas. [7]

Public health and prevention strategies[edit]

The fly commonly infects humans by laying its eggs on wet clothes, left out to dry.[10] The eggs hatch
in one to three days and the larvae (which can survive without a host for up to 15 days) then burrow
into the skin when the clothes are worn.[1] A prevention method is to iron all clothes, including
underwear, which kills the eggs/larvae.[11][12]

References
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "African tumbu fly". Merck Veterinary Manual.
Retrieved 2007-08-18.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b Adisa, Charles Adeyinka; Augustus Mbanaso

(February 2004). "Furuncular myiasis of the breast caused by the
larvae of the Tumbu fly (Cordylobia anthropophaga)". BMC
Surgery. 4 (1): 5. doi:10.1186/1471-2482-4-5. PMC 394335
. PMID 15113429. Retrieved 2009-03-17.

3. ^ Jump up to:a b Rice, Paul L.; Neva Gleason (January 1972). "Two
cases of myiasis in the United States by the African tumbu
fly, Cordylobia anthropophaga (Diptera, Calliphoridae)". American
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 21 (2): 62
5. PMID 5007189. Retrieved 2009-03-17.

4. Jump up^ Ockenhouse, Christian F.; Curt P. Samlaska; Paul M.

Benson; Lyman W. Roberts; Arn Eliasson; Susan Malane; Mark D.
Menich (February 1990). "Cutaneous myiasis caused by the African
tumbu fly (Cordylobia anthropophaga)". Archives of
Dermatology. 126 (2): 199
202. doi:10.1001/archderm.1990.01670260069013. PMID 2301958.
Retrieved 2009-03-17.

5. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Geary, Merilyn J.; Bernard J. Hudson; Richard C.

Russell; Andrew Hardy (1999). "Exotic myiasis with Lund's fly
(Cordylobia rodhaini)". Medical Journal of Australia. 171 (11-12): 654
5. PMID 10721359. Retrieved 2009-03-17.

6. Jump up^ Zijlma, Anouk. "About the putzi fly". About.com.

Retrieved 2007-08-18.

7. ^ Jump up to:a b c John, David; William Petri (2006). Markell and Voge's
Medical Parasitology (9th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.
p. 329. ISBN 0-7216-4793-6. OCLC 62475633.

8. Jump up^ Gordon Charles Cook (2009). Manson's Tropical Diseases.

Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 1587. ISBN 1-4160-4470-1.

9. Jump up^ Sherman RA, Hall MJ, Thomas S (2000). "Medicinal

maggots: an ancient remedy for some contemporary
 afflictions". Annual Review of Entomology. 45 (1): 55
81. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.45.1.55. PMID 10761570.

10. Jump up^ "Tumbu fly infestation" (PDF). CDR Weekly Communicable
Disease Report. 6 March 1992. ISSN 0144-3186. Archived from the
original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.

11. Jump up^ Adisa CA, Mbanaso A (2004). "'Furuncular myiasis of the
breast caused by the larvae of the Tumbu fly (Cordylobia
anthropophaga)'". BMC Surgery. 4: 5. doi:10.1186/1471-2482-4-
5. PMC 394335 . PMID 15113429.

12. Jump up^ James AS, Stevenson J (March 1992). "Cutaneous myiasis
due to Tumbu fly". Archives of Emergency Medicine. 9 (1): 58
61. doi:10.1136/emj.9.1.58. PMC 1285829 . PMID 1567531.

[hide]

Diseases from ectoparasitics and arthropods (B85B89, 132134)

Body louse / Head louse

Pediculosis

Head lice infestation

Louse
Pediculosis corporis

Crab louse

Phthiriasis

Hemiptera Bed bug (Cimicosis)

Fly Dermatobia hominis / Cordylobia anthropophaga / Cochliomyia hominivorax (Myiasis)

Chigoe flea Tunga penetrans

Flea
Tungiasis

Acariasis / mange (mites) Trombidiformes: Trombicula

Trombiculosis

Chigger bite

Demodex brevis / Demodex folliculorum

Demodicosis

Demodex mite bite

Pyemotes herfsi
 Cheyletiella

Cheyletiellosis

Sarcoptiformes: Sarcoptes scabiei

Scabies

Dermanyssus gallinae

Liponyssoides sanguineus

Ticks Tick infestation

Linguatula serrata

Linguatulosis
Pentastomida
Porocephalus crotali / Armillifer armillatus

Porocephaliasis

Categories:
Calliphoridae
Parasitic flies
Animal parasites of humans
Parasites of mammals
Diptera of Africa

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