Dermatobia hominis

Definition

A species of botfly (Diptera: Oestridae) whose larvae obligately parasitize mammals, including humans, causing furuncular myiasis. The adult female captures blood-feeding mosquitoes or other flies and glues her eggs to their bodies; the warmth of a host's skin stimulates hatching, and the larvae penetrate directly through skin or via the vector's bite wound. Endemic to the Neotropics, it is the most common cause of human myiasis in Central and South America.

Etymology

From Greek derma (skin) + bios (life), referring to the cutaneous larval habit; hominis (Latin, genitive of homo) indicates humans as principal hosts.

Example

A traveler returning from the Amazon basin presents with a painful, breathing subcutaneous nodule on the scalp; extraction reveals a third-instar larva of Dermatobia hominis, identifiable by its rows of posterior spines and terminal spiracular slits.

Synonyms

• Human botfly
• torsalo

Related Terms

• myiasis
• Oestridae
• Hypoderma
• cutaneous larva migrans
• furuncular myiasis
• Phoresy
• obligate parasitism

Usage Notes

Often confused with Hypoderma species (cattle warble flies), which are in a different oestrid subfamily and rarely infect humans. The common name 'American warble fly' is misleading and best avoided. The term 'torsalo' is preferred in Latin American medical literature. Not to be confused with Cordylobia species (tumbu fly) or other myiasis-causing flies.