Overview

Maggots are living fly larvae that eat decaying or dead tissue. Maggot therapy involves placing live maggots in a non-healing wound.

A non-healing wound is a wound that doesn't improve after four weeks or heal after eight weeks. Larvae of the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) are most often used in maggot therapy. By removing the dead tissue and bacteria on and around a wound, maggot therapy might help improve wound healing and prevent infection.

People use maggot therapy for foot sores related to diabetes, bed sores, leg sores caused by weak blood circulation, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Using non-sterile maggots in maggot therapy might lead to serious infections. Due to safety concerns, the US FDA started regulating maggot therapy in 2003. One specific brand of maggot therapy, Medical Maggots, is approved by the US FDA as a prescription product.



Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

  • Foot sores in people with diabetes. Maggot therapy can help heal foot sores in people with diabetes.
  • Leg sores caused by weak blood circulation (venous leg ulcer). Maggot therapy might help to remove the dead skin from leg sores, but it doesn't seem to help these sores heal faster than conventional treatments. It might also increase the risk for side effects.

There is interest in using maggot therapy for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When applied to the skin: Maggot therapy is possibly safe when sterile maggots are used under the care of a qualified healthcare professional. It's usually well-tolerated, but side effects might include bleeding and pain.

Maggot therapy is possibly unsafe when non-sterile maggots are used. Maggots that have bacteria on them can cause a severe blood infection.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When applied to the skin: Maggot therapy is possibly safe when sterile maggots are used under the care of a qualified healthcare professional. It's usually well-tolerated, but side effects might include bleeding and pain.

Maggot therapy is possibly unsafe when non-sterile maggots are used. Maggots that have bacteria on them can cause a severe blood infection.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if maggot therapy is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Bleeding disorders: Maggot therapy might increase bleeding in some people. It might make bleeding disorders worse. Use cautiously.

Interactions

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Ivermectin (Stromectol, others) interacts with Maggot Therapy

    Ivermectin kills maggots. Using ivermectin during maggot therapy might decrease the effectiveness of maggot therapy.

Dosing

Maggot therapy involves applying sterile maggots on to a wound and covering the wound with gauze and a dressing. The dressing is usually removed 1-4 days later when the maggots are fully grown, and then the wound is rinsed with a sterile saline. This may need to be repeated once or twice per week until the wound is completely cleaned.

One specific brand of maggot therapy, Medical Maggots, is approved by the US FDA via prescription. Using non-sterile maggots in maggot therapy might lead to serious infections. Speak with a healthcare provider before use.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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