maggots make comeback as cheap and effective medical treatment in kenya

There are countless stories about how mag worms clean up wounds throughout the time.
A recent story tells the story of how plastic surgeons on the French battlefield ended up treating a soldier\'s femur with extensive wounds and composite fractures in the abdomen during World War I.
Although the man has been injured for several days, he is in good spirits and has no fever, and when they check the wound they find it full of maggots.
It is even reported that Australian and American natives know that mag worms will eat dead tissue and will not touch live tissue.
Today, in Kenya, the treatment now known as the mag-worm debridement therapy or MDT is going through a renaissance.
Dr. Kimani Wanjeri treated some patients at Kenyatta National Hospital.
\"They show significant improvement in wound healing and removal of dead tissue from the wound that hinders healing.
\"It\'s amazing,\" he said . \"
Mag worms used today are bred specifically to consume dead tissue.
Kenya Institute of Agriculture (KARI)
It is home to several cages, about the size of a moving carton.
They are surrounded by flying nets, and low hum can be heard throughout the time.
You need flies to spawn to get the mag worm.
You need a foul to encourage.
The mixed smell of beef liver and Wheat embryo is placed on the Tupperware plate in the cage.
Flies spawn in the mixture and extract the mag worm 24 hours later.
Cary entomologist phebara Mukiria explains why these mag worms are so effective in treating dead wounds.
\"The mag worm will now begin to produce saliva in the tissue.
Saliva has the characteristic of liquidating the tissue.
And it absorbs the liquid.
In the process, it is cleaning up the wound, etc.
\"It\'s amazing,\" she said.
Back at Kenyatta Hospital, a patient is waiting for treatment.
Peter Maloungu usually works at the quarry, but he has been off work for a while when he enters the trauma ward.
A rock and sand wall collapsed on him a few weeks ago.
His left foot was seriously injured.
Like many in Kenya, he turned to local medicine and religion first.
In those precious early days the meat under his feet began to rot.
When the doctor turns it on before using the mag worm, the stench fills.
His feet are rotting.
Dr. Wanjeri explained that there would be maggots on the wound and that it would be sealed.
Mr Maloungu agreed.
\"I\'m not too worried, despite my pain.
\"I pray to God that I will be fine,\" he said . \".
Dr. Wanjeri was particularly enthusiastic about MDT.
He told me that in countries like Kenya, patients like malengu are no exception.
In developing countries, hospitals and Western medicine are the last resort, not the first priority.
He explained that there is a tool for mag worms, and there is no drug or surgeon to replicate at the moment.
Saliva has antibacterial properties and does not require antibiotics.
Two days later, Mr. Maloungu\'s foot was opened and there was a distinct difference.
First, the mag worm is no longer several millimeters long, about the thickness of the linen line.
They are now nearly 20mm long and fatter than the USB charging cable plugged into the phone.
They are also more active and doctors need to use tweezers to remove twisted larvae from the cavity and from the side of the foot now clearly visible and exposed tendon.
Not beautiful.
Dr Wanjeri said it would take a second treatment to clean up all dead black meat.
MDT also saved valuable resources, he said.
\"No one will go into the operating room with many people using devices to remove the tissue,\" he said . \".
\"None of this. It\'s cheaper.
You only need one person and it may take up to two people to clean up the wound and apply the mag worm.
Therefore, this greatly reduces the cost. And time also.
\"This may be the main reason for the MDT recovery in Kenya.
Cheap and effective.
Even if it\'s a bit disgusting.
Topic: health, alternative-