Brazilian expat gets flesh-eating parasite in her eye on Ras Al Khaimah hike

September 4, 2022

By Expat Media

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Brazilian expat gets flesh-eating parasite in her eye on Ras Al Khaimah hike

DUBAI – A 23-year-old Brazilian expatriate in Dubai who went on a hiking trip in Ras Al Khaimah got the scare of her life after a flesh-eating parasite burrowed in her eye. Isabela Goncalves Moraes was trekking with friends in Ras Al Khaimah when a botfly larvae ended up in her eye. Botflies are flies whose parasitic larvae grow and feed on its host’s flesh. They usually infect animals, but there have been many reports of flies infecting humans. Recalling the March 24 incident, Moraes said she and her friends visited an area where sheep and other cattle were kept. She didn’t know what hit her until she felt a stinging pain in her right eye. In 24 hours, her eye started swelling and watering, so she went to Aster Hospital in Mankhool for an eye examination. Dr. Vikram Mohindra, a specialist opthalmologist at the hospital, diagnosed her with having botfly larvae infection. Dr. Mohindra said that if left untreated, the infection could have caused Moraes to lose her vision. Using a new technique, doctors used a Betadine solution on Moraes’ eye to drown any microscopic larvae, and followed this up with a 15-minute eye wash. The technique worked and two dead larvae were extracted from her eye. Moraes has since been in good health and has reminded hikers to “be very careful” when exploring rural areas. ICA/Expat Media