The ordeal began in September when the woman, who had been working outdoors near a field of grazing sheep, noticed a large number of flies swarming around her face. At the time, she did not think much of it.
About a week later, she started experiencing sinus pain, followed by severe coughing over the next few weeks. Despite the discomfort, she reported no other symptoms.
The situation escalated on October 15, when she sneezed out a small worm. Alarmed, she sought immediate medical attention.
An ENT specialist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) performed a surgical procedure to remove a total of 10 larvae and a pupa—the stage between larva and adult— from her nasal sinuses. Following surgery and a course of nasal decongestants, the woman made a full recovery. None of her co-workers reported similar symptoms.
Medical tests identified the creatures as baby sheep bot flies, scientifically known as Oestrus ovis. These parasites typically infest the nasal passages of sheep and goats, and human cases are extremely rare. In most reported incidents, the larvae do not progress beyond the early developmental stage when inside a human host.
Doctors believe that the woman’s unusually severe septum deviation—a bend in the bone separating the nasal passages—provided a protected environment that allowed the larvae to survive and even reach the pupation stage. Normally, larvae trapped in human sinuses die, dry out, or calcify due to the inhospitable conditions.
This case is one of the few documented instances where sheep bot fly larvae have developed further inside a human host. Experts note that while nasal infestations remain exceptionally uncommon, certain conditions, such as structural abnormalities in the nasal passages or weakened immunity, can allow the parasites to survive and grow.
Thanks to prompt medical intervention, the woman is now recovering fully after what she described as a terrifying experience.
