- Email: [email protected]
Tumbu fly (Cordylobia) infection outside Africa
888
CORRESPONDENCE
dog to various species of Anopheles, Culex, Aedes and even some horseflies occurring in Italy. Human infection, however, might be due to some vector showing sufficient trophic flexibility, such as Aedes caspicus which in nature feeds either on the dog or on man(CoLUzzI et al., 1971). Since the work of DESPORTES (1939, 1940) no conclusive study has been made on the whole subject for the Mediterranean Basin. We are, etc., I. DE CARNERI,
Chair of Parasitology, Institute of Hygiene, University of Pavia, Italy, S. SACCHI, A. PAZZAGLIA, Dermatological Clinic, University of Pavia, Italy.
8 October, 1973 REFERENCES
BALBO, T. & PANICHI, M. (1968). Nuova Vet., 44, 78. BEAVER, P. C. & ORIHEL, T. C. (1965). Am. ft. trop. Med. Hyg., 14, 1010. BIANCHI, L. & CAPRIOGLIO,A. (1972). G. Mal. infett., 24, 98. COLUZZI, M. (1964). Parassitologia, 6, 57. - (1971). Ibid., 13, 152. DESPORTES, C. (1939, 1940). Ann. Parasit. hum. comp., 17, 380, 515. GRABER, M., EUZ~BY, J., GEVREY, J., TRONCY, P. M. & TRIAL, J. (1972). Bull. Soc. Sci. V~t. M~d. comp., 74, 245. LOCATELLI, A. (1971). Parassitologia, 13, 197. MANTOVANI, A. & TSAGLIS, A. (1965). Ibid., 7, 123.
TUMBU FLY (CORDYLOBIA) INFECTION OUTSIDE AFRICA
SIR,--A married woman was on holiday in Marbella, Southern Spain (36°31N, 4°53W), from July 1st to July 14th, 1973, flying directly from and back to Gatwick Airport in England. After returning home, she noticed a boil-like swelling developing on her buttock on July t9th, which then apparently came to a head by July 27th, when it was treated by a nurse friend. A fly larva was removed from the boil. This larva has the spiracles, spinulation and cephalic structure of the third stage larva of Cordylobia anthropophaga (Blanchard), the well-known tumbu fly of Africa south of the Sahara. Mrs. X says that she has never visited Africa and her case history is consistent with infection during the holiday period in Spain. T h e Port Health Authority have also confirmed that the aeroplanes used by Mrs. X during her flights to and from Spain were not operated on routes to and from Africa. We are, etc., B. R. LAURENCE, Department of Entomology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT. F. G. HERMAN,
11 October, 1973
Consultant Pathologist, Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, Kent.
CORRESPONDENCE
dog to various species of Anopheles, Culex, Aedes and even some horseflies occurring in Italy. Human infection, however, might be due to some vector showing sufficient trophic flexibility, such as Aedes caspicus which in nature feeds either on the dog or on man(CoLUzzI et al., 1971). Since the work of DESPORTES (1939, 1940) no conclusive study has been made on the whole subject for the Mediterranean Basin. We are, etc., I. DE CARNERI,
Chair of Parasitology, Institute of Hygiene, University of Pavia, Italy, S. SACCHI, A. PAZZAGLIA, Dermatological Clinic, University of Pavia, Italy.
8 October, 1973 REFERENCES
BALBO, T. & PANICHI, M. (1968). Nuova Vet., 44, 78. BEAVER, P. C. & ORIHEL, T. C. (1965). Am. ft. trop. Med. Hyg., 14, 1010. BIANCHI, L. & CAPRIOGLIO,A. (1972). G. Mal. infett., 24, 98. COLUZZI, M. (1964). Parassitologia, 6, 57. - (1971). Ibid., 13, 152. DESPORTES, C. (1939, 1940). Ann. Parasit. hum. comp., 17, 380, 515. GRABER, M., EUZ~BY, J., GEVREY, J., TRONCY, P. M. & TRIAL, J. (1972). Bull. Soc. Sci. V~t. M~d. comp., 74, 245. LOCATELLI, A. (1971). Parassitologia, 13, 197. MANTOVANI, A. & TSAGLIS, A. (1965). Ibid., 7, 123.
TUMBU FLY (CORDYLOBIA) INFECTION OUTSIDE AFRICA
SIR,--A married woman was on holiday in Marbella, Southern Spain (36°31N, 4°53W), from July 1st to July 14th, 1973, flying directly from and back to Gatwick Airport in England. After returning home, she noticed a boil-like swelling developing on her buttock on July t9th, which then apparently came to a head by July 27th, when it was treated by a nurse friend. A fly larva was removed from the boil. This larva has the spiracles, spinulation and cephalic structure of the third stage larva of Cordylobia anthropophaga (Blanchard), the well-known tumbu fly of Africa south of the Sahara. Mrs. X says that she has never visited Africa and her case history is consistent with infection during the holiday period in Spain. T h e Port Health Authority have also confirmed that the aeroplanes used by Mrs. X during her flights to and from Spain were not operated on routes to and from Africa. We are, etc., B. R. LAURENCE, Department of Entomology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT. F. G. HERMAN,
11 October, 1973
Consultant Pathologist, Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, Kent.