Ophthalmomyiasis externa due to the sheep botfly Oestrus ovis (Diptera: Oestridae) in southwest Germany.

We present a case of ophthalmomyiasis externa in a 54-year-old man in southwest Germany (Baden-Württemberg). After the patient had been attacked by a fly, he complained of a foreign-body sensation and itching in his right eye and developed purulent conjunctivitis. Slit-lamp examination revealed the presence of translucent, rapidly moving insect larvae in the conjunctival sac and on the corneal surface. Following removal of all larvae and instillation of gentamicin, the symptoms completely resolved within 2 days. Two of the nine larvae removed were examined by light microscopy and taxonomically classified as first-instar larvae of the sheep botfly Oestrus ovis L. 1758. Although this fly is the most common causative agent of external ophthalmomyiasis in the world, infestations in central Europe have only rarely been reported. Besides the case report and a detailed description of the larvae, an overview of the literature on European cases of ophthalmomyiasis externa caused by Oestrus ovis is given.