A second case of the flesh-eating New World screwworm was detected in a calf in Texas this week about six miles away from the first case, raising concern about the infestation, the USDA said. File Photo by Bill Greenblat/UPI | License Photo
June 6 (UPI) -- A second case of New World screwworm was confirmed in Texas this week in a one-month old calf nearly six miles from where the first case was detected.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the second confirmed case on Friday, which was detected in Zavala County, Texas, but 5.6 miles away from the first one.
The second case was confirmed just 24 hours after the first, which had been detected in a three-week old calf, and has spurred the USDA to step up surveillance, as well as take other actions to prevent the infestation from spreading.
New World screwworm is spread by flies that lay their eggs in the exposed flesh of living animals -- livestock, pets, wildlife and humans are all susceptible -- and when the fly larvae, or maggots, emerge from the eggs they burrow through muscle as they grow.
