Urethral Myiasis Associated With an Indwelling Urethral Catheter in a Male Patient

TL;DR

A rare case of urethral myiasis in a Greek patient with a catheter was successfully treated with manual removal and antibiotics.

Contribution

This is the first reported case of urogenital myiasis in Greece, offering insights into its treatment and recognition.

Findings

Urethral myiasis was successfully treated with manual removal of larvae and oral antibiotics.

No deeper tissue or bladder infestation was observed in the patient.

The larvae were identified as likely belonging to the Calliphoridae family.

Abstract

Human myiasis is an infestation caused by fly larvae. Although cutaneous myiasis is the most common form, involvement of the urogenital tract is rare. We present a case of urethral myiasis in an elderly male with a long-term indwelling urethral catheter. The patient presented to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Northern Greece with urethral pain. Approximately twenty larvae, each measuring about 10 mm, were removed manually. There were no signs of deeper tissue involvement or bladder infestation. The patient received a short course of oral broad-spectrum antibiotics and reported complete symptom resolution within ten days. No further larvae were identified on repeat evaluation. Retrospective assessment of photographic material by an entomologist suggested that the larvae likely belonged to the Calliphoridae family. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of urogenital myiasis in Greece. Simple manual removal of the parasites, coupled with a broad-spectrum antibiotic, was a sufficient treatment modality. Timely recognition of parasites and reporting of such cases could help build a better understanding of the natural history of the disease and inform appropriate therapeutic management.

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