Mexico Confirms First Case Of Human Infected With Flotung

Mexican Health Minister Jorge Alcocer (Photo: Instagram/@loperdoriga)

JAKARTA - Mexico's Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of meat-eating squirrel disease or Myiasis in humans on Friday, April 18, 2025.

The patient is a 77-year-old woman who lives in a residential area in the city of Acacoyagua, Chiapas, Mexico in the southernmost part. The woman was infected with the Cochliomyia hominivorax, which is a meat-eating gray fly.

"Currently, patients are being treated with antibiotics at a special Ciudad Salud hospital in Tapachula," said an official statement from the Mexican Ministry of Health, quoted from the Reuters website.

According to the Mexican Ministry of Health, butchery disease usually attacks livestock, but in some cases it can also attack humans. To date, no other cases have been found in humans in Mexico.

To prevent further spread, health authorities immediately activate epidemiological prevention and supervision measures. This activity involves the National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Two months earlier, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) received a report from Mexico about the discovery of a worm worm, a larvae of the animal-eating Cochliomyia hominivorax fly, on a cattle farm in Tabasco state. WOAH confirmed the presence of the parasite infection in cattle, although it did not provide further details.

In November 2024, the United States temporarily suspended imports of cattle from Mexico after a cow on a farm in the state of Chiapas (which borders Guatemala) was found to be infected with parasites from meat-eating flies.

Cochliomyia hominivorax is a type of fly from the Calliphoridee family that comes from the American region. The Larva is shaped like a screw and usually enters the host's body through open wounds, ears, or nascent baby navels. This elephant is parasitic because its larvae eat living tissue from hot-blooded animals, including humans.

These infections were difficult to spot early, but usually characterized by large wounds that continued to enlarge and white larvae resembling creams. These Larvas can penetrate the deepest body tissue and cause severe injuries, organ damage, and even death if not treated.

Handling is generally carried out by surgery to remove larvae, then local care to prevent infection. The main symptoms include fever, depression, loss of appetite, and previously existing skin wounds.