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Doctors stunned after discovering fly buzzing in man's intestines

News - Nov 22, 2023
Doctors stunned after discovering fly buzzing in man's intestines

A man in Missouri, 63,  left doctors shocked when they discovered a live fly buzzing deep in his intestines during a routine colon cancer screening.

A man left doctors shocked when they discovered a live fly buzzing deep in his intestines. Image Credits: Getty
A man left doctors shocked when they discovered a live fly buzzing deep in his intestines. Image Credits: Getty

The 63-year-old patient, who underwent a colonoscopy, was found to have something disgusting in his intestines.

The doctor proceeded with the test as usual until reaching the transverse colon, the upper part of the large intestine. They were astonished and unexpectedly found a fully intact fly in the man's intestines. 

 

A buzzing fly was discovered in a man's intestines. Image Credits: Daily Maily
A buzzing fly was discovered in a man's intestines. Image Credits: Daily Maily

The man was immediately asked, but he had no awareness of how the insect had gotten into his body. He also did not feel any symptoms

During questioning, the patient revealed that he drank clear liquids the day before his colonoscopy and adhered to fasting to clear the intestinal tract before the procedure.

He also disclosed that he had consumed a meal consisting of pizza and lettuce. However, he claimed not to recall encountering a fly in his food. 

Consequently, the doctors speculated that it could be linked to contaminated lettuce the man had eaten the day prior to his appointment.

He had no idea how the insect had gotten into his body. Image Credits: Daily Mail
He had no idea how the insect had gotten into his body. Image Credits: Daily Mail

The medical team suggested that in rare cases, flies might lay eggs in fruits and vegetables, and these eggs could survive stomach acid, eventually hatching in the intestines.

The medical case was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, the doctor said:  'This case represents a very rare colonoscopic finding.'

'[It is a] mystery on how the intact fly found its way to the transverse colon.'

However, the expert claimed that this man may have eaten food that was infested with fly maggots, and this is linked to rotten bananas.

Doctors discovered fly buzzing in man's intestines Image Credits: Getty
Doctors discovered fly buzzing in man's intestines Image Credits: Getty

They explained that these larvae can withstand the stomach's acidic environment and proceed to infest the intestines, maturing into adult flies, which is known as intestinal myiasis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals infested with fly larvae may exhibit a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. While some patients experience discomfort, others do not suffer any symptoms,