June 05, 2004

They lay their eggs in your flesh. Last night at a dinner party, a friend related the horrid tale of someone infested by the larvae of the botfly, which lays its eggs in the flesh of mammals. I didn't believe her until I looked it up for myself -- and it's true. They struck a three-year-old in the neck and back ("The neck lesion continued to enlarge, and by this time a small hole was visible at its center.") They struck one man in the scrotum ("One lady Doc picked up Marks chart & said 'I'm not touching that'!"). The larvae has even shown up in the human eye. (Warning: very nasty picture!)

More gruesome photos here, here, and here. And don't miss the video of botfly toad parasitization.

posted by scartol 20 years ago
  • this is what you talk about at DINNER PARTIES?? heh. i like you.
  • You are just giving botflies a bad name. They are in fact lovely little pets, only eat a bit of flesh, and the lesions quickly diminish & heal once the millions of pupescent larvae hatch and swarm out of the pus-leaking orifice & across your body seeking new hosts. They can also learn to talk. Possibly.
  • Ok, you want a gross photo, here's one. Expulsion of ascarids following Mebendazole treatment, University of Zagreb.
  • Boy, am I glad I didn't eat breakfast. This is indeed best of the web, if you're into really disgusting stuff. Heh. Good links all around.
  • Listen, man, you are just trying to give nematoids a bad name. If you can keep them out of your lungs and brain, they are happy little friends that really help you lose weight, and use of Mebendazole drug treatment is just damn cruel! Merely eat a super, super hot curry and drink a quart of Old Nostril's Ginger Bourbon, and I swear to you the muthas be swarmin out your ass or any other orifice handy looking around for a new host to infest. Keep a large pig handy. Problem solved. And they can also learn to run the United States. Possibly.
  • " Old Nostril's Ginger Bourbon?" Nostrildamus, that is absolutely the grossest image in this thread! *shudders*
  • I, for one, welcome our Bot Fly overlords.
  • My skin didn't just crawl, it said, "screw this, I'm outta here," and walked out the door.
  • Do warble flies sing? Can botflies buy? There's a hairy wee hinsect, love, Just landed on your thigh.
  • One of these little infestations might actually be enough to make me wanna self-amputate. Mebbe even meh li'l buddy.
  • Beeswacky, our resident Poet Lawral-leet has been heard from.* This thread is now complete. I once bought a horse that had a nasty warble fly infestation. Worming with Ivermectrin killed the little barstaads. They kinda petrified and were lots of fun to pop outta his hide for the next couple months. Musta been itchy, 'cause he liked it. So Nostril, are you saying you've never met a tapeworm you weren't willing to play host to? *Nice one, Bees!
  • ::shudder:: I've never been able to forget a report I came across about Guinea Worm Disease (Link not safe for weak stomachs!) It’s an absolutely horrific parasitic disease found in Africa and Asia, and can be fought by (among other things) simply filtering drinking water. Take a moment to look at the incredible work The Carter Center has done to combat this disease and many others worldwide, and make a donation if you can.
  • On preview, dirigibleman just completely cracked me up!
  • God hates you.
  • *flees for the kitten/puppy thread*
  • Don't forget Goetter, kittens and puppies often carry TAPEWORMS! So wash yer hands after playing.
  • wobh : Thank you for the faboo link. I am even now, crushing the will of my coworkers with Schopenhauer's might.
  • I don't know where that comma came from.
  • And, aren't fly larvae called "maggots"?