Ophthalmomyiasis in Oman: A case report and comments

A case of external ophthalmomyiasis caused by the first instar larvae of the sheep nasal botfly (Oestrus ovis) has been reported for the first time from the Sultanate of Oman, Southern Arabia. Sixty larvae were removed from the left eye of a 21-year-old male student, who acquired the infection during a field trip. The manual removal of larvae using a swab stick was the only effective treatment. The larval characteristics are described with illustrations, and the status of O ovis ophthalmomyiasis in the Middle East is discussed. The folk treatment administered for fly-mediated ophthalmomyiasis in Oman is also reported. Ophthalmomyiasis may not be a serious public health problem in Oman, but a nationwide survey of all myiases may be worthwhile.