Surprise

I am trying to find out how maggots appeared on my 90 year old dads heel where there was a very bad sore. A nurse comes in daily to put a dressing on with gauze and wrapping and one day last week when changing the dressing, found them on the sore. She claims a fly must have gotten in the wrapping, but it is hard for me to believe, as it is wrapped pretty snug. I thought they just originated in there, but from what your article reads there must be a fly for maggots to originate.

Duane

I am no expert of course in maggots, but as far as I know, a maggot is the larvae of a fly, meaning that a fly had to lay the eggs for the maggot to form. As terrible as it sounds, I do believe they still use maggot therapy in hospitals to help fight infections in open wounds. The way I get it, is the maggot will not eat healthy tissue, only bad tissue, helping the wound heal. But I am no expert.

Offered by Clipper.

Fly eggs are tiny and are sometimes, maybe even often air-borne. They could have landed on the sterile dressing or the wound itself. The important thing is that they are not bad, in and of themselves, and can even be beneficial. The important thing is to dress the wound at least daily, flushing with plenty of clean water That will help keep down the bacteria, the real danger.

Offered by Ron.

It is absolutely correct that maggots will not eat healthy tissue, only bad tissue, helping the wound heal! Maggots will only eat necrotic (dead) tissue. As a nurse who has worked in inner city hospitals I have seen lots of maggots in lots of sores. I am absolutely convinced that the only way some of these people were still alive was because the maggots ate the tissue that would have caused them to get septic and die.

Offered by Lyn.