A 32-year-old US woman was successfully diagnosed and treated for a case of Myiasis (human botflies) at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj. The patient visited the Emergency department with complaints of swelling in the right upper eyelid along with redness and tenderness. She also revealed in detailed history that she felt something moving inside her eyelids once in a while since past 4-6 weeks. She had consulted doctors in the United States but the myiasis (botfly) could not be removed and the doctors discharged her on few symptomatic relief medications.
On her visit to India, the patient visited Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, where she was diagnosed and treated by Dr Mohammad Nadeem, Consultant and Head Emergency Fortis Hospital, ER physician Dr Dheeraj and Dr. Narola Yangar (surgery department). Had the Myiasis not been removed, it could have caused considerable destruction of tissues, resulting in complications such as extensive erosion of nose, face, and orbit. This could have led to rare meningitis and death.
Myiasis burrow into delicate membranes and feed on underlying structures. Such cases have been reported earlier too from tropical and subtropical areas like Central and South America and Africa. In India, such cases have been reported mostly from rural areas particularly in children where the botflies have entered through either nasal opening or musculoskeletal skin lesions.
Dr Mohammad Nadeem, Consultant and Head Emergency Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, said, “It was a very rare case of Myiasis. Foreign bodies taken from the healthy skin route lead to severe morbidity and death. Therefore, these cases need to be evaluated in detail urgently. The US national is a traveler and had a history of visiting the Amazon jungle two months back. Suspecting foreign body from her history of traveling and noticing movements inside her skin, diagnosis was done. Dr Narola Yanger from the Surgery department proactively managed to remove three live human botflies almost of 2 cm in size—one from the right upper eyelid, second one from back of her neck and third from her right forearm. The surgery was completed in 10-15 minutes with all aseptic precautions, without any anesthesia. The woman was discharged on symptomatic prescribed medicines from ER.
Dr. Rajeev Nayyar, Facility Director, Fortis Vasant Kunj said, “The doctors team led by Dr Mohammad Nadeem adopted the correct line of treatment and pro-actively took out the botflies from the US national’s body. Our team of doctors at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj have always displayed their excellence and commitment to patients. We have always kept patient-centricity and consistent innovation at the core. This has helped us become a leader in innovative surgeries and a provider of responsible healthcare.”
US national said, “I had gone to the Amazon jungle and when I returned, I noticed a bite on my right upper eyelid. It started growing and bleeding. I thought it was a poisonous spider bite. There was a small hole in the middle of the bite, and I saw something coming out of the hole. The doctors in US could not get it out and so I came to Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj. The doctors here could take the botflies out without the help of anesthesia. I really appreciate the doctors’ efforts and pro-active approach.”
