Acceleration of cutaneous wound healing by Lucilia sericata maggots in diabetic Wistar rats

The study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of maggot therapy in healing of cutaneous infected wound in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic Wistar rat. For live maggots, the sterilized eggs of Lucilia sericata were obtained from colonies established in laboratory. Diabetes model was established in 48 male Wister rat by intra-peritoneal injection of STZ at the dose of 60 mg/kg body-weight. Cutaneous wounds exposed with mixed colonies of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were prepared in all rat. The animals equally divided in 4 groups with 12 rats each being presented as treatment group of control, antibiotic, maggot and maggot with antibiotic in combination. All treatments were done once and hold for 24 hours. Wound kinetics and bacterial bio burden were measured at weekly interval to till complete healing. Significant reduction in wound area with maximum contraction was found (>95%) in maggot treated group when compared to antibiotic treated (79%) and control (72%). In maggot as well as maggot and antibiotic in combination group showed early elimination of bacterial bio-burden 7.88±0.03log CFU/ml to 1.12±0.65log CFU/ml and 7.86±0.04) log CFU/ml to 1.54±0.52log CFU/ml respectively in three weeks of time. Early healing indication was also experienced on histomorphological examination of wounded tissue of maggot treated groups by early and better epithelialization, collagenation and neovascularization with complete healing of wound in three weeks in comparison to antibiotic and control respectively. However, the present study did not show any difference in healing of wound with use of maggot alone or in antibiotic combination. Live maggot of Lucilia sericata effectively lower bacterial bioburden and and accelerate healing of infected cutaneous wound in diabetic conditions.

Therapeutic use of Lucilia sericata maggot in controlling bacterial bio-burden in Rat wound model

Delayed wound healing due to extraneous bacterial contamination, antibacterial resistance and other associated factors are of great concern in dealing patients having chronically infected wound. Medicinal properties of certain maggots of Calliphoridae family are known for its effective wound debridement therapy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the wound healing potential of maggots of Lucilia sericata in an experimentally infected cutaneous wound model in Wistar rat. The study was carried out by using male Wistar rats (n=48) by creating excisional wounds and later contaminated with mixed population of gram positive and gram-negative bacteria. Animals were divided randomly in to four groups with 12 individuals each, being denominated as control, antibiotic treated, maggot treated, and antibiotic plus maggot combination treated group. Ten pre-sterilized maggots were applied per centimetre square wound bed for 24 hours. Different wound kinetics in L. sericata maggot treated wounds revealed significant reduction in wound area with maximum contraction, early elimination of bacterial bioburden as compared to group of infected control and group of rats receiving only antibiotic treatment. The histopathological examination of wounded tissue of maggot treated groups showed early and better epithelialization, collagenation and neovascularization with complete healing of wound in two weeks. The maggot effects on healing when used singly or in combination with antibiotic were recorded to be similar. The results of the present study clearly demonstrate that the maggots of L. sericata possesses a definite antibacterial action along with removal of dead tissues and effectively reduced the bacterial bio-burden in infected wound and induced wound healing quickly.

Occurrence of Setaria digitata in a cow

The present investigation reports the occurrence of filarial worm, Setaria digitata, recovered during the surgery of a cow suffering from intussusception. The worms were thread like, milky white, long with tapering ends especially towards the hind end with an average size of 62.8 ± 9.89 mm in length. On examination of anterior end, the cuticular rings surrounding the mouth region with dorsal, ventral and lateral prominences were observed. The posterior end had few spines along with a pair of appendages near the tip of the tail. On the basis of morphological characteristics the worms were identified as female S. digitata.

Incidence of Haemoproteus columbae in pigeons of Jammu district

Haemoproteus columbae is the major protozoan infection reported in pigeon and appeared in the erythrocyte of the peripheral circulation. Incidence and parasitaemia of H. columbae in pigeon was studied in different localities of Jammu, India for a period from April to September 2010 using thin blood smear examination. Of the 150 pigeons (wild: 70, domestic: 80), 92 (61.33 %) were found to be infected with H. columbae. Domestic pigeon showed higher incidence rate (74.28 %) than the wild (50 %). Mature and immature gametocyte encircled the erythrocyte nucleus to form a halter shaped appearance were characteristic feature of the parasite. Pseudolynchia canariensis, the vector for H. columbae was also recovered from beneath the feathers of pigeons. No other haemoprotozoan parasite was observed in the blood smear of examined pigeon. Counting of infected erythrocyte revealed higher affection of 1-2 erythrocytes indicative of milder infection in the birds. A long term study within bird population is essential in order to disclose seasonal variation in parasite, vector density and age of infection such as nesting area.