Ear maggots are also known as Aural myiasis or automyiasis.
The ear maggots are the infestation of external ear and/or middle ear with dipterous larvae.
This very rarely encountered clinical condition is generally seen in children, in individuals with predisposing factors as mental retardation or impaired personal hygiene.
Myiasis of the ear is an infestation of the ear by maggots (the larval stage of flies).
In the literature, there are only few cases reported about aural myiasis.
It is more common to occur in tropical regions, where humidity and warm weather provide a good environment for this infestation.
The maggots that cause myiasis can live in the stomach and intestines as well as the mouth.
This can cause serious tissue damage and requires medical attention.
Myiasis is not contagious.
Symptoms of myiasis in your gastrointestinal tract include stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The treatment of aural myiasis in most cases is nothing more than removal of larvae.
It should be followed by irrigation of the external auditory canal with one of the following solutions.
Alcohol, chloroform, normal saline, oil, ivermectin, or iodine.
What do maggot bites look like?
At first, people have a small red bump that may resemble a common insect bite or the beginning of a pimple (furuncle).
Later, the bump enlarges, and a small opening may be visible at the center.
The opening may drain clear, yellowish fluid, and sometimes a small portion of the end of the larva is visible.