Eristalis tenax intestinal myiasis: An electron microscope study

Myiasis is the infestation of live vertebrates (humans or animals) with dipterous larvae. Eristalis tenax, belonging to order Diptera and family Syrphidae, seldom causes accidental myiasis, usually due to ingestion of contaminated food or water by humans. Here, we report a case of intestinal myiasis in a male from Alexandria, Egypt, complaining of frequent passage of small worms in his stool. A larva and a pupa were presented to the laboratory and examined macroscopically, and then studied by a scanning electron microscope. E. tenax (rat-tailed maggots) were diagnosed. Rarely diagnosed worldwide, a case of E. tenax accidental intestinal myiasis was found in a middle-aged adult male from Egypt. A larva and a pupa were identified and studied macroscopically and by scanning electron microscope.