Myiasis ( or ) is the
parasitic infestation of the body of a live
mammal by
fly larvae (
maggots) that grow inside the host while feeding on its
tissue. Although flies are most commonly attracted to
open wounds and
urine- or
feces-soaked fur, some species (including the most common myiatic flies, the
botfly,
blowfly and
screwfly) can create an infestation even on unbroken skin and have even been known to use moist soil and non-myiatic flies (such as the common
housefly) as
vector agents for their parasitic larvae.