In Jiangsu, China, an 8-year-old girl has been vomiting live worms for over a month, leading her family to seek medical help. After numerous consultations, it was confirmed that the culprit was the larvae of a common bathroom moth, known as “moth flies.”
According to reports, the girl visited a local women’s and children’s hospital, where her father brought a glass containing several wriggling live worms. The girl had been expelling approximately 1-centimeter-long worms from her mouth, sometimes as many as three to five at a time. Despite taking various common deworming medications, her symptoms did not improve, causing her parents significant anxiety.
Initially, doctors suspected a rare parasitic infection and referred her to the Jiangsu Disease Control Center for further examination. Tests confirmed that the worms were the larvae of “moth flies,” which typically thrive in damp environments such as bathtubs, sinks, toilet tanks, and old drainage systems rich in organic matter.
The girl’s parents recalled that their bathroom had long been infested with these small black flies, which were likely the adult form of the larvae.
Experts explained that the larvae could enter the mouth through contaminated water, especially during activities like brushing teeth or using the toilet, where splashes could carry the larvae into the mouth, leading to internal infestation.
Health officials have warned that the current humid and warm rainy season increases the risk of moth fly infestations. They advised households to pay special attention to the cleanliness of drainage systems and bathrooms to prevent the breeding of moth flies. Regularly using disinfectants to clean the insides of pipes can help prevent similar incidents in the future.
This alarming case highlights the importance of maintaining hygiene in household environments to avoid health risks associated with pests.