Flesh-eating screwworm is confirmed in the U.S., officials say
Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World screw-worm fly, or screw-worm for short, is a species of parasitic fly that is well known for the way in which its larvae (maggots) eat the living tissue.
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A New World screwworm has been detected in a bovine located in Zavala County, Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said.
A three-week-old calf was affected, with larvae were identified in its umbilical area, according to a press statement on Wednesday, adding that there are no further detections to date.
“USDA invested heavily in the tools needed to eliminate NWS ever since cases started increasing in Central America and Mexico. The United States has defeated this pest before, and we will do it again,” USDA said.
USDA and Texas officials are working to contain and eradicate NWS from the country, including the establishment of a 20 km infested zone around the detection and enforcing quarantines, movement controls and surveillance in the area.
New World screwworm, which burrows into the flesh of living animals, is a pest that can affect livestock and cause economic losses in the agricultural sector.
—CNBC’s Ryan Ruggiero contributed to this article