Editing Maggot (section)

===Medical treatment===
{{Main|Maggot therapy}}

Live maggots of certain species of flies have been used since antiquity for wound [[debridement]]. Larvae of [[Calliphoridae|calliphorid]] flies of the species ''[[Common green bottle fly|Lucilia sericata]]'' are widely used.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Sherman, R. A. |title=Maggot therapy takes us back to the future of wound care: new and improved maggot therapy for the 21st century |journal=J. Diabetes Sci. Technol. |volume= 3 |issue= 2 |pages= 336–344 |date=March 2009|doi=10.1177/193229680900300215 |pmid=20144365 |pmc=2771513 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Not all species are safe and effective; use of the wrong species would invite [[Pathology|pathological]] [[myiasis]].<ref>{{cite book |author=James, M. T. |title=The Flies That Cause Myiasis in Man |url=https://archive.org/details/fliesthatcausemy631jame |publisher=U.S. Dept. of Agriculture |location=Washington D.C. |year=1947}}</ref>

In controlled and sterile settings overseen by [[medical practitioner]]s, [[maggot therapy]] introduces live, [[disinfect]]ed maggots into non-healing skin or soft wounds of a human or animal. They feed on the dead or [[Necrosis|necrotic]] tissue, leaving sound tissue largely unharmed. Studies have also shown that maggots kill bacteria. Three midgut lysozymes of ''L.&nbsp;sericata'' have antibacterial effects in maggot debridement therapy. The study demonstrated that the majority of [[gram-positive bacteria]] were destroyed in vivo within the particular section of the ''L.&nbsp;sericata'' midgut where lysozymes are produced. During the passage through the intestine of the maggots, the ability of bacteria to survive drastically decreased, implying the antibacterial action of the three midgut lysozymes.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Valachova, I. |title=Midgut lysozymes of Lucilia sericata – new antimicrobials involved in maggot debridement therapy |journal=Insect Molecular Biology |volume= 23 |issue= 6 |pages= 779–787 |year=2014|doi=10.1111/imb.12122 |pmid=25098233 |s2cid=39079130 }}</ref> In 2005 maggot therapy was being used in about 1,300 medical centers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maggot debridement therapy|first=Vanessa|last=Ngan|website=DermNet |url=https://dermnetnz.org/topics/maggot-debridement-therapy |date=2005}}</ref>

Apprehension from healthcare workers has inhibited acceptance, but a supplier of maggots said in 2022 that she had noticed significantly more acceptance over the four years she had worked in the field. Acceptance among patients is high.<ref>{{cite news| last=Tait | first=Amelia | title=Medieval medicine: the return to maggots and leeches to treat ailments |newspaper=The Guardian | date=26 February 2023 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/feb/26/the-return-to-medieval-medicine-to-treat-ailments}}</ref>