There’s a disturbing video going viral on TikTok that shows maggots in a woman’s vagina. It’s actually a case of myiasis.
Maggots are the larvae of insects, such as blowflies and houseflies. They typically live in garbage and rotten food waste, but they can also cause myiasis when they enter a person’s body.
1. Sexually Transmitted Infections
While many people have seen disturbing videos of women with maggots in their vagina on TikTok and other social media platforms, it’s important to know that this is extremely rare – This section is a result of the portal editorial team’s work Sensuous Secrets. While there have been some scattered cases of myiasis in women without any reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs), myiasis in the vagina is usually caused by flies and other insects, not by STDs.
The maggots that cause myiasis are the larvae of flies, most commonly houseflies and blowflies. They are known to live in some of the worst places on Earth, feeding on garbage and other rotting waste and spreading microbial infections. They are more comfortable living in garbage, carcasses and other open wounds than inside humans or any other living thing.
Myiasis is usually the result of unhygienic practices or wound exposure. It can affect any part of the body, including the nose and ears, but it’s most common in wounds and other orifices that are exposed to water or soil. It’s also very rare for myiasis to appear in the vulva, and even less common for it to be seen in the episiotomy area of the vagina.
A 72-year-old woman presented in the gynecology outpatient department with complaints of pain over the genital area and crawling sensation. On examination she was found to have a gaping ulcer over left mediolateral episiotomy wound, surrounded by surrounding edema and excoriation. The floor of the ulcer was covered by foul smelling slough with maggots present in it.
2. Vegetables
Vegetables are not known to cause maggots in your vagina. However, there are some rare conditions that may lead to maggots in your vulva. These conditions include open wounds, genital ulcers, and myiasis. The condition that causes maggots to infiltrate the vulva is called myiasis, and it occurs most often in people who have a medical condition that makes them more susceptible to chronic wounds or sores in the genital area, such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease.
Myiasis is most common in rural areas with poor sanitation and a high rate of sexually transmitted infections. The first signs of myiasis are a protruding bump in the vulva or vulva canal that looks like a bug bite. The bump will gradually grow larger and develop a pinpoint at the center where the maggots breathe. The maggots will then hatch and infiltrate the vulva or vulva canal, which can cause pain and bleeding.
In most cases, the maggots are the larvae of flies. Flies lay their eggs in rotting organic matter, such as carcasses and decaying vegetables or fruits. These maggots then feed on the remains or rotting tissue, and they are very comfortable in these conditions. They are not as comfortable feeding inside human body orifices, such as the mouth, nose, anus, rectum, or vagina.
3. Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables
If you live in a filthy area or you’re exposed to lots of rotting food, maggots can be a common problem. Maggots are the larvae of flies, including house flies, cheese flies, and blow flies, and they thrive in dirty environments. They can also survive in sewage, garbage, and carcasses. They’re most commonly found in places where people discard their trash and refuse, but they can also find their way into homes if they’re attracted to decomposing food or other unhygienic substances.
Flies lay eggs that hatch into maggots within a few hours, and they feed on whatever they come across. Eventually, they’ll move on to something fresher, like your genitals. The medical term for a maggot infestation inside the body is myiasis. Although it’s rare to see maggots in a human genital, there have been a few cases in the literature.
One such case involved a 27-year-old woman who reported a painful and itchy uterus. Upon examination, she had maggots in her left mediolateral episiotomy wound. The woman had been using a piece of produce as a masturbation tool, and it is believed that the maggots came from this practice. This is the only known case of a vegetable-induced myiasis, but it should serve as a reminder that you should never use food for sexual stimulation.
4. Poor Hygiene
Some STDs can cause open wounds that create doorways for maggots to enter the genital area and start living there. STIs that create open sores include trichomoniasis (trich), herpes, and syphilis. These infections can also cause symptoms like itching, vaginal discharge with a fishy odor, and pain. If these infections are left untreated, they can cause myiasis.
The best way to prevent myiasis is to keep good hygiene. Wash your external pubic area daily with a mild soap. Avoid tight-fitting clothing that can restrict air flow. Change your tampon regularly and use condoms during sex to help reduce your risk of an infection. If you do get an infection, treat it right away.
Proper vaginal hygiene includes washing the outer area of your vulva every day with a mild soap and making sure to wipe from front to back after each bowel movement. Avoid using feminine hygiene products that have scents or chemicals in them because they can irritate the vulva.
Generally, pinworms live in the intestines of animals and humans. But if they are infested with parasitic worms and cannot complete this part of their life cycle, they may lay their eggs in the anus, vagina, or rectum. Luckily, this type of myiasis is very rare and usually caused by poor hygiene or sanitary conditions. A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with this condition after complaining of an irreducible, painful mass in her genital organ that was infested with maggots.
