Lucilia sericata maggots

**Lucilia sericata** maggots are live, sterile larvae of the common green bottle fly used as a medical device for wound treatment. The larvae are applied directly to non-healing wounds where they provide therapeutic benefits through multiple mechanisms: mechanical debridement of necrotic tissue through ingestion and liquefaction, antimicrobial activity via secretion/excretion of proteases and antimicrobial compounds, and promotion of wound healing through immunomodulatory effects that inhibit pro-inflammatory responses. The maggot secretions and excretions contain various bioactive compounds including antimicrobial peptides (lucifensin, lucifensin II, lucilin), low molecular weight antimicrobials (p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, proline diketopiperazine, seraticin), proteases, and immunomodulatory factors. These compounds demonstrate activity against both Gram-positive bacteria (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli), though efficacy varies by bacterial species. The therapy was formally developed in the 1930s and received FDA clearance in 2004 as a prescription medical device. It is particularly beneficial for patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease suffering from chronic ulcers and long-lasting infections.

Other names

Medical maggotsMedicinal maggotsMaggot debridement therapyMDTLarval therapy