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1 May 2014 Human Wound Colonization by Lucilia eximia and Chrysomyarufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae): Myiasis, Perimortem, or Postmortem Colonization?
Michelle R. Sanford, Terry L. Whitworth, Darshan R. Phatak
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Abstract

The infestation of human or animal tissues by fly larvae has been given distinctive terminology depending on the timing and location of colonization. Wounds and orifices colonized by Diptera in a living human or animal are typically referred to as myiasis. When the colonization occurs after death, it is referred to as postmortem colonization and can be used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval. What happens when the human, as in the case presented here, has a necrotic limb while the human remains alive, at least for a short period of time? The case presented here documents perimortem wound colonization by Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) and the considerations for approximating development temperatures and estimating the time of colonization (TOC). This represents the first record of L. eximia in human myiasis in the United States and the first record of the co-occurrence of L. eximia and C. rufifacies in human myiasis in the United States. The TOC was estimated using both ambient and body temperature. Insect colonization before death complicates the estimation of TOC and minimum postmortem interval and illustrates the problem of temperature approximation in forensic entomology casework.

© 2014 Entomological Society of America
Michelle R. Sanford, Terry L. Whitworth, and Darshan R. Phatak "Human Wound Colonization by Lucilia eximia and Chrysomyarufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae): Myiasis, Perimortem, or Postmortem Colonization?," Journal of Medical Entomology 51(3), 716-719, (1 May 2014). https://doi.org/10.1603/ME13229
Received: 27 November 2013; Accepted: 1 February 2014; Published: 1 May 2014
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KEYWORDS
casework
forensic entomology
myiasis
time of colonization
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