This is Africa

Yesterday Lisa was checking over our newest arrival, little Siphiwe, and found a bump and swelling in her ear lobe.  We pushed and probed and got out some pus, figuring it was some type of infected bite or something.  Today, after more pushing and probing, the stuff inside was seen to move (hmmm!!).  After showing Mama Chirwa (strong of stomach), she squeezed the little bugger out.  It was some type of maggot about half an inch long and quite alive.  It was probably a putsie fly or some other similar varmint.  Putsie flies lay their eggs on wet clothing and when you put the clothing on the larva burrow into your skin.  They will eventually mature inside your body and then break through the skin to get out which can be very painful.  If you hang your clothes outside then it is necessary to iron or put in the dryer as the heat kills the eggs.  This is why we put all our clothes through the dryer!

 

 

Andy