Maggot Therapy

    Maggot Therapy

Maggots are the larva of flies and other insects which are soft, legless and found in decay materials. Maggot therapy is used as an antibiotic previously. But with the introduction of antibiotics such as penicillin, the use of this therapy was extinct. Due to drawbacks of antibiotics, maggot therapy is now reintroducing. Sterile maggots are used in therapy. Maggots feed on dead and infected tissue but don’t affect on living and healthy tissue. In USA, during First World War the military surgeon are infested by maggots on his battle wound and wound get healed without any infection. Maggot therapy was introduced into civilian medicine in 1930 but fell out of favour with the introduction of antibiotics.

Working of Maggot Therapy

Specially maggot of blowfly (3 segmented antennae insect with 10 to 14 mm in body-length and are first insect to come in death body) is used in clinical purpose. These larvae are unable to digest living tissue. Larvae only fed death tissue (necrotic tissue). In therapy, they are placed in wound for 2-3 days and are covered with a fine nylon net (to prevent escape). They roam around wound, produced digestive enzyme (proteolytic enzyme) for breakdown of dead tissues, turn into soup and then ingest. They will leave the host on their own in search of other sources if there is lack of necrotic tissues.

Benefits of Maggot Therapy over antibiotics

Major benefits of maggot therapy are it is especially used in the treatment of chronic wounds infected with antibiotics resistant bacteria. Maggot secrete enzyme which inhibits the bacterial activity for further decomposition of wound. Unlike antibiotics maggot therapy are applied on specific wound and kill the bacteria of applied wound only. The major benefit is that maggots stimulate the development of living tissue to repair the damage one.

Is Maggot Therapy painful?

Maggot therapy is applying on chronic wound which is taking long time for heal. At initial stage, person will not feel pain with introduction of small maggot on wound. Maggots increase its size while feeding necrotic tissues. Person may feel pain during enlargement of maggot and pain will immediately stop after removal of dressing and maggots.

Additional

There is always a debate that maggot therapy is safe or not. Maggot therapy is applying on developed country like USA and UK. Many developing countries are unaware of proper application of maggot therapy.  Maggot therapy is considered as fiscally prudent treatment choice, because it is inexpensive, fast, effective, simple, and safe enough to be performed by nursing or paramedical staff. Hence in near future it may be alternatives for the use of antibiotics which are expensive and take long time duration for cure. Medical science may fully approve this system in future.

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