Maggot medication

Patients in Britain suffering from infected wounds will be able to take home a pot of maggots as part of their treatment.

Doctors will now be able to offer patients a prescription of maggots to help heal wounds and avoid lengthy stays in hospital.

Nurses will go to patients' homes and apply the sterile maggots to wounds, leaving them to feed on the dead tissue.

After three days, the maggots, who leave healthy tissue alone, are removed from the wound - although they can be reapplied if necessary.