A disturbing close-up image shows a swollen, intensely red area of skin with what appears to be a pale, segmented organism protruding from the center. Medical gloves and instruments visible in the background suggest that the area is being examined or treated in a clinical setting.

Images like this can be startling, but they also raise an important medical question: what can cause a living organism or larva to appear from an inflamed skin lesion?

One possibility is a condition known as cutaneous myiasis, although the exact diagnosis cannot be confirmed from an image alone.

What Is Cutaneous Myiasis?

Cutaneous myiasis is an infestation in which fly larvae affect human skin or tissue. Certain flies can deposit eggs on or near vulnerable skin, wounds, or other areas, and the resulting larvae may develop within the affected tissue.

Depending on the type of myiasis, a person may develop a painful or swollen lesion that resembles a boil or abscess. In some cases, a small opening in the skin allows air to reach the larva, creating a distinctive central pore.

This can make the lesion look surprisingly similar to an ordinary infected bump at first.