Flesh-eating screwworm is back in the USA: What to know about the threat to cattle, beef prices, and humans
U.S. officials have confirmed the presence of a flesh-eating maggot in the United States that has the potential to devastate livestock populations and, as a result, send beef prices spiking. Here’s what you need to know about the New World screwworm that is a threat to both animals and humans. What’s happened? This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed what Texas farmers and the broader American cattle industry had long worried about: the New World screwworm (NWS) has once again been detected within America’s borders. Despite its name, the New World screwworm (NWS) is actually a type of parasitic fly. It gets its “screwworm” moniker because of the larva that hatches from the eggs the female flies lay. Those eggs are usually laid in the bodily openings of animals—such as mouths, eyes, or genitalia—or in wounds in the animals’ bodies. When the eggs hatch, larvae—maggots—emerge into the bodily openings. And because of the maggot’s screw-like shape, it is simple for them to screw their way deeper into the animal’s flesh, which they consume. And there is where the problem happens: Unlike most maggots, the larvae of the New World screwworm don’t eat just dead flesh; they eat living flesh, too. This causes wounds in the animal’s flesh, which could become infected, eventually making the animal sick or even causing its death. Large New World screwworm infestations can decimate cattle populations, which in turn can have a severe economic impact on ranchers and consumers. If a New World screwworm leads to the mass die-off of cattle, beef prices—already sky high—will rise, impacting beef consumers in America. Where has the New World screwworm been detected in America? According to the USDA, the New World screwworm has been detected in Zavala County, Texas. The county has a population of around 9,200 and lies about 31 miles east of the Texas-Mexico border. If there is a silver lining, it’s that the New Worl