A 58-year-old woman in Greece sought medical attention after sneezing out live worms from her nose, caused by a parasitic fly larvae infection. The woman, who worked outdoors on a Greek island near a sheep field, had been experiencing progressive maxillary pain and severe coughing for weeks before the incident.
Doctors at the Laboratory of Pesticide Science, Agricultural University of Athens, identified the parasite as Oestrus ovis, or the sheep bot fly, which is common in hot, dry regions like the Mediterranean. The woman likely became infected when flies swarmed around her face in September, depositing larvae into her nostrils.
An otolaryngologist surgically removed 10 larvae at various stages and one pupa from her maxillary sinus. The patient was treated with nasal decongestants and made a full recovery. Her severely deviated nasal septum may have contributed to the larvae's retention and progression to pupation.
While accidental human infestations are rare, the condition is well-documented in sheep and goats. The most common human manifestation is acute catarrhal conjunctivitis, but nasal infestations are unusual. None of the woman's co-workers reported similar symptoms.
