Federal health officials are mobilizing against the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite recently detected in animals in the southwest United States.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has activated an emergency operations center to coordinate its response. The agency is supporting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Texas health officials after the parasite was found in animals in southern Texas and in one county in New Mexico.
As of June 11, the USDA reports 12 screwworm cases in domestic animals, including sheep, cattle and goats.
New World screwworm is the larva of a fly that lays its eggs in open wounds or body openings of mammals. The eggs hatch within hours, and the maggots burrow into living flesh, a painful infestation known as myiasis.
The parasite mainly threatens livestock, pets and wildlife, but can also infest humans. So far, no human cases have been reported in the United States, and the CDC says the risk to the public remains low. The danger is greatest for people and animals in areas where the flies are active.
