Also known as the mango fly, tumbu fly, or skin worm fly, the putzi fly ( Cordylobia anthropophaga ) is a species of fly native to eastern and central Africa. Like many other hit fly species, putzi fly larvae are parasitic. This means that they burrow under the skin of a host animal, where they feed on subcutaneous tissue until they are ready to emerge several days later. Often these hosts are human, causing a condition known as cutaneous myiasis. In this article, we explore the symptoms of putzi fly infection, as well as the easiest ways to avoid it.
Life cycle
The putzi fly’s scientific name, anthropophagi , roughly translates from Greek as “human eater,” an accurate nickname considering its meat-eating tendencies. Typically, the female putzi fly lays her eggs in soil contaminated with human or animal feces. The larvae hatch after a short incubation period of up to three days, after which they can survive for about two weeks before finding a suitable host. Once a host (usually a large mammal) has been found, the larvae penetrate the skin, then spend 8 to 12 days feeding before emerging as fully grown worms, ready to become adult flies.
How Putzi’s Flies Affect Humans
In human habitation areas, people serve as the ideal host for putzi fly larvae. The most common method of infection occurs when the female putzi fly lays her eggs on clothing that is allowed to dry. The larvae break at the seams, before burrowing under the unfortunate wearer’s skin. Symptoms typically take up to two days to manifest and can range from vague discomfort and itching to insomnia and severe pain. Within six days, the host develops multiple boil-like sores or boils.
Eventually these will burst, secreting pus, blood, and ultimately the worm itself.
How to avoid infection
If you are planning a luxury Tanzanian safari or trip to a five-star beach resort in Kenya, your clothes are likely to be washed with modern laundry facilities, significantly reducing the likelihood of exposure to putzi fly larvae. However, if you opt for a self-drive safari or extended stays in backpacker accommodations, you will probably end up washing your hands at least once. In this case, the first and most effective way to avoid infection is to iron the clothes, since the heat kills the eggs before they can hatch.
If you don’t have access to an iron, hang your clothes inside and never let them dry on the floor.
Diagnosis
In the tropics, sores and minor infections are common, so how do you distinguish a putzi fly parasite from a mosquito or flea bite? At first, it is almost impossible, as the infection initially manifests as a small red pimple, most often located on the back of the host’s arms, or on the waist, lower back, or buttocks. However, over the course of a few days, the pimple expands and eventually develops a white head. A key method of identification is the opening of a puncture in the center of the boil, through which the putzi larvae breathe in and expel body fluids.
In the final stages of infection, it is sometimes possible to see the worm’s tail moving under the surface of the skin.
How to treat sores
Although putzi fly larvae will eventually leave your body on their own, it is best to remove them as soon as possible. Once identified, the easiest way to treat a putzi sore is to cover the boil opening with petroleum jelly, effectively cutting off the larvae’s air supply. The worm will rise to the surface and can be gently squeezed with your thumbs (the same way one might squeeze a blackhead or pimple). It is important to completely disinfect and bandage the resulting wound, and in extreme cases, antibiotics may be required to counteract the infection.
