New World screwworm detected about 90 miles from the US

NUEVO LEON, Mexico (KALB/Gray News) - The Texas Department of Agriculture is sounding the alarm after New World screwworms were detected just 90 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New World screwworm is a species of parasitic fly that feeds on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, including people.

They lay eggs in body openings such as wounds and the nose, eyes, ears and mouth. The eggs then hatch into maggots, or larvae, which feed on living tissue, causing painful, foul-smelling wounds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture called the New World screwworm a “devastating pest” that can cause serious damage and even death to animals and people.

The CDC said New World screwworms are found in South America and the Caribbean, but the flies have been moving north, including into Mexico.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a statement following the detection so close to the border, calling the flies an “imminent threat.”

“The New World screwworm is not some distant problem. It is a direct and imminent threat to Texas, and we are treating it that way,” the statement said in part. “This is a high-stakes situation for our ranchers, our livestock industry, and our food supply, and we are moving aggressively to stay ahead of it.”

The statement said the USDA is responding to the threat, but the spread of the flies has “not been successfully contained to date.”

“That is a serious concern, and it underscores exactly why Texas must be proactive in dealing with this threat. We are fully engaged and prepared to escalate every available tool to ensure this threat is stopped,” the statement said.

Miller urged Texans to be on high alert and to be familiar with the signs of New World screwworms in their cattle, other animals or people.

“There is zero margin for delay when it comes to screwworm. Early detection is the difference between containment and a full-blown crisis that could devastate herds and livelihoods,” he said in the statement.

The CDC lists a few symptoms of New World screwworm in mammals, including:

• Feeling maggots (larvae) move or seeing maggots in a skin wound or sore, or in the ears, nose, eyes or mouth.
• Painful skin wounds or sores that worsen within a few days.
• A foul-smelling odor from the site of the infestation.
• Bleeding from open sores.

More information about risk factors, how the flies spread and how to prevent them from infecting you and your animals can be found on the CDC website.