I hate to restart a thread that has been exhausted in the past, but I would like to get some help from someone who has had a confirmed case of a bot fly infection.
We just returned from a great trip and my wife has a bit on her head that is not going away. She has severe pain (the Dr has given pain killers and anti-biotics and says it may be a spider bite, but he doesn't really know). She managed to convince the Dr to get some tests done (primarily for Chagas, because that one could be serious), but won't hear the results back for some time. My wife's face is now puffy/swollen down one side and she has periods of nausea. She was bitten about 15 days ago. The sore is now 1/4 of an inch wide and oozy. The area immediately surrounding the bite is perhaps an inch wide and very swollen. Her face is more puffy than 'swollen'.

This makes it all sound worse than it is, but the real problem is not knowing what she has. I would be grateful if anyone could drop me a line at mike_profit@hotmail.com if they could let me know their symptoms.

Many Thanks

Mike

Your wife's symptoms sound more serious than a botfly bite. Tell her to see an MD who is knowledgeable about tropical medicine, maybe start with a plastic surgeon but be sure to tell him or her that you have just come back from the tropical caribbean.

My husband had a botfly bite him at Chan Chich a year ago. He had a bump on his head that kept growing and was painful. No other symptoms. He finally went to his MD who referred him to a plastic surgeon. She took it out on the spot and it bounced off the table and on the floor causing the medical assistant to shriek in fear. Surgeon sent it to a lab and a lab tech who had been to the tropics recognized and identified it as a botfly. It grows larvae inside the bite spot and eventually, they come out. If you type in "botfly" on the net you will see some gruesome photos.
We learned that this is fairly common and the locals treat it by using a lighted cigarette over the wound, drawing the larvae out. Everybody on the bz culture list laughed when they learned that my husband went to a plsstic surgeon!
But the swelling and puffiness in places other than the bite site concern me. Its possible that this is an allergic reaction atypical of a botfly, but my recommendation is that your wife go to a plastic surgeon and have the bump opened and whatever is inside removed and analyzed.
When my husband got the lump and it kept growing, my big fear was, not surprisingly, cancer (as is always a concern when you have a lump). The botfly scenario was actually a relief. Nobody ever died from a botfly bite.

By the way, from what I have heard, its not very common to have these bites on AC, most often they happen in the jungle. But anything is possible, I guess.

Thanks, I'll do some more checking. We were actually in the jungle near San Ignacio for 5 days before our arrival in AC....

That does not sound like a typical botfly, but I guess it could be some kind of reaction. In any event, I would urge you to go to a doctor who has tropical medicine training; many physicians trained in the U.S. and who have only practiced here have little if any experience with or understanding of tropical diseases.

By the way, you are not "bitten by a botfly" but the botfly egg is deposited by a mosquito or sometimes by another insect. The larva grows in the host's body until it is fairly large. There are other kinds of botflies (in the U.S. I use to call them "wolves" when I would find them in squirrels) that are deposited in the host in other ways, but in Belize I believe it is almost always by a mosquito.

The botfly larva can easily be killed by taking away its air supply -- by putting vaseline or similar on the skin where the lump is, but then you still have to extract the larva.

--Lan Sluder

Belize books and publications by Lan Sluder:
Belize First Magazine (http://www.belizefirst.com)
Fodor's Belize & Guatemala Guide
Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize
Adapter Kit: Belize (the first and only comprehensive guide to living, retiring, working and investing in Belize -- a best-seller on Amazon.com)
UpClose Central America
San Pedro Cool (coming soon)

--Lan Sluder

www.vexman.com click on botfly story.

I agree with the others advice. See a tropical medicine doctor try your local university medical center. If you don't have access suggest perhaps at least a dermatologist.

Hi

this sounds more like a Spider bite than a bot fly, you can normally tell if its a bot fly from the breathing hole in the skin that the bot fly needs in order to be able to breathe.

It is typically a very clean pin head hole, I used to do a few extractions of Bot flys from the British military when they came out to the island from the jungle, they had all kinds of pretty gross things from being stuck in the Jungle day and night for weeks on end.

Anyway to get the bot larvae out alive we used to take a Coke bottle and light a cigarette take a few puffs of the cig and blow the smoke into the bottle, once the bottle was full we would hold it over the breathing hole and wait for the larvae to come to the surface of the hole in order to get some fresh air, once it poked its head out we would get the squaddie up against the wall and 2 to 3 of us would put our thumbs around the perimeter of the hole and push as hard as we could.

I tell you we had to push hard but eventually this big hairy maggot came out pretty disgusting.

Once it was out we put it in a clear film canister for the Limey to take with him, disinfected the area and he went on his way.

I only noticed a slight swelling and redness around the hole nothing like you are describing.

I would immediately as the others have said find a Doctor who specializes in tropical infections and Spider bites because thats what i think it is.

Good Luck

Gaz Cooper
Gaz Cooper's DIVE BELIZE www.divebelize.com

Thanks for the replies. I suspect it is not a bot fly, my wife seems to have a lot more complications. We will try to get a referral to a tropical medicine specialist.

I have started documenting the larvae/infection/bite/sting with the digital camera, so if anything exciting happens I'll post the pictures!

I will let you know how things go.

Many Thanks

Mike

Keep us posted on your wife's condition! I hope everything is ok!

TOTALLY! Hope all is well!

Mike..I don't mean to scare you...but I think it'a also a spider bite. I'm sending you some information...Please go to a hospita..don't wait any longer.

Recluse spider bites can produce the same type of local effects as those described for the hobo spider in Hobo Spider Poisoning, with the development of a slow healing necrotic lesion. The systemic effects of brown recluse spider bite (which occur in a small percentage of cases) differ somewhat from those of the hobo; chills, fever, nausea, muscle pain, and other flu-like symptoms can develop. In severe cases convulsions may occur, as well as abnormalites in the clotting ability of the blood. Hemolysis, or damage to red blood cell walls resulting in leakage of the red, oxygen carrying protein hemoglobin occurs in some cases; this can result in the death of the victim when the discarded red blood cell casts are filtered through the kidneys, causing renal failure. Bites by the recluse spiders should (for the moment) be treated in the same fashion as has been outlined for the hobo spider. Management of the local lesion, and the use of corticosteroids in systemic poisoning, are the key elements in treatment of bites by recluse spiders. Systemic poisoning from the various members of the genus Loxosceles may vary from species to species. Little is known about the venom and bite of the lesser known species of recluse spiders.


Bites by dangerously venomous spiders fall into two broadly defined categories; those which produce severe neurological manifestations, and those which produce necrotic arachnidism, a term meaning "spider bite which causes tissue death". Powerful neurotoxins dominate the clinical picture in bites by the black widow, while the hobo spider, recluse spiders, and to a lesser extent the yellow sac spiders, can induce necrotic arachnidism. Necrotic arachnidism is characterized by the local destruction of tissues at or near the bite site. More information on necrotic arachnidism can be found in hobo spider poisoning.

MR

Thanks all. Your concern has been greatly appreciated by my wife and I.

We went back to the Dr's this morning, clutching a medical report on Botflys. We pursuaded him to open up the wound. He found a 6mm long larva. The picture of it can be found here;
http://195.171.167.210/img_0785.jpg

My wife is totally relieved now (although a little traumatized). The Dr is sending the larva off for positive identification. He doesn't anticipate and further complications.

We both just relieved! Fortunately it hasn't dented my wife's enthusiasm for travel, hopefully we're off to Thailand next year!

Many Thanks

Mike

I'm putting together a page on botflies so we can get this info to folks in the future...

I am also responding to posts on BelizeNet, but the info here should help Marty.

It certainly seemed that she was reacting to the larva. Her lymph glands were going up and down since the bite. Apparently the swelling was very pronounced because it was on her head. If it had been on her back, leg or arm, it would have appeared much smaller because the swelling would have been absorbed by the muscle. On her head, there was nowhere for the swelling to go but up and out.

The pain was also severe because of the presence of a lot of pain receptors, nerves and blood flow in the scalp, compared to, say, a person's back. That is probably also why her face swelled up as well.

The Dr said he would put together a scientific paper on this when he gets a species identification of the larva.

We are pleased that a bit of internet searching put us right. I was able to find the very good scientific paper on it here; http://www.medscape.com/SCP/IIM/2001/v18.n03/m1803.03.vinc/pnt-m1803.03.vinc.html

You do need to register on the site, but it is free and only took me a minute.

It also says a lot for the Dr that he listened to us, even though he had never heard of it before (northern Virginia). We saved on a few more presecriptions for antibiotics and pain relief!

Thanks again

Mike

I have posted this before, but it is worth posting again, WE BOARDERS, are the most wonderful helpful and resourceful group ever.
Also everyone is so supportive.

Mike thanks, for your info, and hope Wife is feeling more comfortable now. Bless Her.

Geeze Louise....bot fly wolves, hookworns.
This geriatric lady will be making her first trip to AC in March.
Are there any preventive measures I should be taking now, e.g. loading up on antibiotics, special soaps.
Which repellents work best in country? Will normal hygiene practices surfice?
Sure don't want to bring home unwanted hitch hikers.

I have the most interesting scar on my calf from a trip to Belize where I picked up some little critter.

The little critter wandered around just underneath the skin for a period of about three to four weeks leaving a little tunnel effect everywhere that it went. During the day it was pretty quiet but everynight that critter would make a move and wake me up. The harder I scratched the more it moved and itched. After awhile I headed to the pharmcist who had no idea, then to the doctor who had no idea, but did have a plan.
He sprayed my calf with a freeze spray and that seemed to help for awhile. Several nights later the critter was on the move again. My husband went to the store bought a can of butane lighter fluid and followed me around spraying the back of my leg everytime that critter moved. Eventually we were sucessful and ended up killing it.

Not that I am an advocate of having your husband running around spraying your calf with butane lighter fluid but 12 years ago we did not have a message board and helpful people to give instructions. LOL

On the subject of hookworms you can get them everywhere that its warm. I have had them here in Florida. It pays to keep your shoes on.

Still by far the most dangerous critter is still that two legged smooth talking Belizean guy.

Mike, your wife is a trooper! I would have to be sedated after something like that came out of my head. My hat's off to her. Cheers!

Now that you said it, I remember years ago my aunt's dog had a botfly in the neck area years ago. It also swelled up massively with lymph fluid. I've had a few in my time. Back then I figured that since they are all insects, I put some headlice medicine on the spot - which killed the bug and a couple days later the little dead critter was poking out of the pinhole and I pulled it out. I never pulled out fat hairy one as I did not want to entertain them for too long, eeewww.

[This message has been edited by belizeanblue (edited 01-18-2002).]

The "critter" described by Kcbc looks to have been a case of "larva migrans", the result of the larva of a hookworm, Acylostoma sp., normally a parasite of dogs and other carnivores, entering a human and, being unable to make its way to the gut, wanders around under the skin, causing a marked immune response. The eggs hatch, often in beach areas and the larva burrows through the skin. The infestation is annoying but not serious, and easily cured. Treatment by a knowledgeable physician should be sought because, untreated, the condition _may_ persist for many weeks.

For a recent discussion, see:

Green, A.D., Mason, C. and Spragg, P.M. 2001.
Outbreak of cutaneous larva migrans among British military personnel in Belize.
J. Travel Med., 8: 267–269.

Dear sweet mother of Jesus. I want to tell you right now that if I ever get that bot fly thing, whoever has the guts to do it can just slit my neck. If not, I will have to undergo years of counseling, and perhaps sit idly and stare out the window of a mental institution for a while, knowing that I incubated a maggot under my skin. I can't bear to read this topic any longer. And now that I have said all of this, it is a sure thing that I am going to get it when I go there in March. I'm puttin' on pure DEET, and covering every inch of skin with it.

<shiver>

PS: Mike, no offense is meant to your wife in my above ranting. I think she deserves a nice little treat for what she has gone through... like say jewells and chocolate? She is a trooper!

[This message has been edited by KC (edited 01-18-2002).]

My wife has been very good, is even joking about it now. She has pointed out a ring she would quite like however....

HA HA! That's the spirit! She's my kind of woman. Now go buy that ring.

Kathy

This is almost too much...two days after the removal of the first larva. We've just found a second, in the same place as the first. It looks like we've got twins.

We are currently trying to remove it using a thick layer of vaseline. The larva is supposed to move in to the vaseline to try to get to the surface. We can grab it as it emerges....I am not convinced and Louise (my wife) is not happy....

Mike

Gracious heaven above...twins!

Valentine's day is looking to be a little spendy for you this year. lol.

Oh dear, Mike... It is looking more like that trip to Thailand next year may be off. ??

BEST WISHES to your wife.

Kathy

Hi
While on the topic of biting-stinging things, maybe someone might have insite on bites that my family recieved. Somewhere between the jungle and Placencia my mum and dad and friend all got these bites that turned into holes all over their legs. All of us used protective lotion and spray but I was the only one not to get eaten. They look as if they've got the plague or pox!

Any ideas? I remember before some mentioned welts but these are more like poc marks.

Thanks Mike, i appreciate the updates, I'll get that botfly page yet thanks to your help. Tell that brave wife of yours that her troubles will help alleviate the trobles of others.

and then go get that ring....

:>

Sarah...I don't know if this pertains to the bites with holes. Here goes. When I was little we would go for vacations up to Cotten Tree Bank..somewhere close to Rock Thunder. I remember the little baby ward hogs coming to us, (we called them warries), because the mother threw them out of the group. She did this because they had these holes on their bodies. some of them would have one hole, some would have two or three. The holes would be very deep. The villagers would tell us that the hogs were bitten by something or the other and that whatever was inside them was feeding on them. I don't remember too much else. I for one would not waste time with this kind of stuff. I would seek medical attention at once, and insist that they exray or whatever it took to find out. I would not leave until they did.

MR

It worked! After 6 hours and several missed attempts we got it! This larva was much bigger than the one removed on Thursday, almost 1/2 inch long and 1/4 of an inch thick.
We had to do it at home because we'd had quite a heavy snow fall and the doctor's is 45 minutes drive away. He said he would try the same, rather than the surgery again.

If anyone has to do this, the way to grab the larva is to place a very thick layer of vaseline (over 1/2 an inch) and wait (in our case 1.5 hours between each attempt to grab the larva). Earlier attempts missed because the larva retracted into the hole on my wife's head too quickly. Wait until the larva is a long way out of the hole and then go for the base really quickly and tug the larva out in one movement.

We finally wrestled it free AND intact at 8pm last night. Now we're just waiting to see if there are any more....clear so far today, so hopefully that will be it.

Sarah Smile, if the bites have 1-2mm holes on top of the bites 13-17 days after they were bitten, then I suspect you have what my wife has/d....

I am so grateful to all you guys. You are all amazing!

Thanks

Mike

SWEET! glad you got that sucker OUT!!!!

I'm so jealous. I want one someday. I called to them in the jungle, I want to grow one to maturity and get it into a bug collection....

well, maybe not.....

it sounds crazy, like a wrestling match with a greasy worm!!!!

lordy, the things that come round on this crazy planet...

glad its working out well, might be a two ring situation....

peace and big hugs to your wife....

Marty

I'm putting the botfly info at: http://AmbergrisCaye.com/pages/town/botfly.html

for corrections, add'l details, send em to me and i'll edit...

Marty

Marty

Excellent page. I hope our experiences help others to recognize the symptoms and can pursuade the medical community to react a little quicker.

Thanks all.

Mike

OK, ready to PUKE?
http://archopht.ama-assn.org/issues/v118n7/fig_tab/epe90105-1_f4.html
http://archopht.ama-assn.org/issues/v118n7/fig_tab/epe90105-1_ft.html
http://archopht.ama-assn.org/issues/v118n7/ffull/epe90105-1.html#aainfo

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I'll rethink that jungle trip this May (NOT), but seriously, the deet will be thick.
Thanks for sharing. Peace and health to you, Louise!

oh my GAWD. this is no way to cure a phobia. i actually yelped aloud & clapped my hand over my mouth when i saw that close up of the maggot by the bloody eye. on the second page isn't it weird how the mature larva has such a similar shape to the fly? incredibly repulsive! nauseating! more terrifying than any monster movie fright cause they're real! aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

See,,,if you guys lived in the snow belt of Utah and consumed lots of rum and tequila, and went ice fishing you would NEVER see a bot fly ,, you may see other creatures after the above combo of rum/tequilla, but the worse thing you would see is the blue and red flashing lights behind your vehicle..

Dude Im so happy that your "twins" are now specimins ( see too much rum/tequila and you cant spell).. Hope you dont have any more "children".... Snow bound and looking foreward to getting to Belize in May...