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Woman sneezes out maggots after fly infestation
18 Mar
Summary
- Flies swarmed woman's face while working outdoors in Greece.
- Woman experienced pain and coughing before sneezing out larvae.
- A deviated septum allowed fly larvae to pupate in her nose.
An unusual medical case emerged after a woman, working outdoors on a Greek island last September, was swarmed by sheep bot flies. These flies, known as Oestrus ovis, are common in the region. The woman subsequently developed symptoms including upper jaw pain and coughing over several weeks.
Her condition worsened, leading to a startling event on October 15, when she sneezed out multiple larvae and a pupa. Medical examination revealed a severely deviated nasal septum, which researchers believe allowed the fly larvae to survive and pupate within her sinuses. This is considered biologically unusual for mammals.
After surgical removal of the ten types of larvae and the pupa, the woman was treated with nasal decongestants and fully recovered. Scientists theorize this case might indicate an evolutionary adaptation allowing the O. ovis parasite to complete its life cycle in humans.
