What We Know: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of New World screwworm in the United States, marking the first detection in decades and putting livestock producers on alert.
What Are The Particulars: The parasite was found June 3 in a 3-week-old calf in South Texas.
Cattle are often the focus of concern, but horses, sheep, goats, swine, dogs, cats, wildlife and even humans in rare cases can be affected.
The USDA stressed that the nation’s food supply remains safe.
Screwworms do not infest meat or food products, and infected animals would be identified during inspection.
The United States eradicated New World screwworm in 1966 through the use of sterile male flies.
Detections in Mexico in recent years prompted renewed preparedness efforts.
What’s Next: The Missouri Department of Agriculture has launched a New World screwworm resource page with information on premises identification, frequently asked questions and links to state and federal resources to help livestock owners stay informed.
(Photo provided by USDA)