A parasitic screwworm, which was eradicated from the US nearly 60 years ago, is reportedly threatening a return in Texas.
According t0 News Nation Now, the New World Screwworm was recently detected in Mexico. As a result, the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife is asking folks in South Texas to watch out for animals affected by screwworms. The parasite itself was officially eradicated from the United States in 1966, but has remained widespread in some Caribbean and South American countries.
The New World Screwworm is a larva or maggot of the New World Screwworm fly. The adult fly lays eggs in wounds or live tissue, such as nostrils, eyes, or mouths. Eventually, those eggs hatch into painful larvae. Disturbingly, the maggots will then "screw into flesh with sharp mouth hooks," which in turn, leads to the parasitic infection. Notably, female screwworm flies can lay up to 300 eggs at a single time. Those female flies are also drawn to the odor of a wound on a warm-blooded animal.
Screwworms most commonly affect livestock, but are also known to infect birds, pets and humans. Screwworms can cause a bacterial superinfection. Moreover, the screwworms can injure the animals or humans they infect in different ways as well.
New World Screwworms are most often found in the tropics and subtropics, and the recent positive cases of the parasite in Central America over the last few years has been a surprise. In November, the United States was made aware of a case of New World Screwworms infecting a cow in Mexico. In the time which has since passed, the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife has shared pertinent information to citizens around the state, on what to look for regarding a screwworm infection.
Parasitic Screwworm Identified In Mexico And Texas Is On The Lookout
Being that the New World Screwworm was eradicated a decade ago, it is plenty noteworthy that the parasite is making its way north once more. Hopefully, the screwworms never make it to Texas. Likewise, hopefully, the damage they do in Mexico is minimal.
