Larval therapy is a method of treatment hard-to-heal wounds with larvae of the fly Lucilia sericata coming from sterile laboratory cultures.
This method allows one to clean wounds quickly and safely from necrotic and infected tissues. It decreases the amount of secretion and reduces odour from wound.
Larval therapy is popular among the population of the Nordic countries, the UK, Germany, Benelux, Israel and the United States. In the UK and Germany larval therapies are reimbursed by the health insurance.
The return to biosurgery occurred in the 80’s due to the increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Renaissance of biosurgery has been observed over the past 10 years.
In Germany, nearly 600 clinics use drugs originated from animals. Over there, larvaes are bred in hospital laboratories.
In the UK there are about 400 laboratories. Since 1996, over several years in 1300 medical centers used 40,000 larvae package. In 2001 development of larvae breeding methods for medicinal purposes has gained the prize “Millennium Product” in the field of entrepreneurship and received a prestigious award from the Queen.
Since February 2004, due to decision of Health Institute, American doctors can use fly’s larvae (available by prescription) in the treatment of difficult to heal ulcers, pressure ulcers, traumatic and post-operative wounds.
Larvae secretion is effective against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus A and B, Pseudomonas and other antibiotic-resistant strains.
According to British sources 90 percent of difficult cases are cured with a use of larval therapy.
While the average time of treatment of hard-to-heal wounds with antibiotics lasts 89 days, the larval therapy lasts for about five days.