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Harmful New World Screwworm Detected Again in the US After Years
The US Department of Agriculture announced the detection of the flesh-eating New World screwworm in a calf in Texas. This is the first naturally occurring case in cattle in the country since 1982.
The New World screwworm, a major threat to livestock, has resurfaced in the US after years. The US Department of Agriculture announced that this species was detected in a calf in Texas.
This detection marks the first naturally occurring case in cattle in the country since 1982. Officials reported that a second case was identified on Friday, located about 10 kilometers from the first infection.
The pest can be deadly for animals
The New World screwworm is not actually a worm but a species of fly native to the southern US. The species is attracted to wounds on warm-blooded animals; females can lay 200 to 300 eggs at a time, and the larvae burrow into the flesh, consuming the tissue.
Experts say the larvae deepen the wound, turning the infection into a foul-smelling open sore that is often fatal if untreated. Although infections in humans are rare, they can be extremely painful.
The species affects not only cattle but also wildlife, pets, and humans. It poses a serious risk to agriculture because it can spread rapidly, especially in animals with open wounds.
The US previously conducted extensive eradication efforts
The US spent over half a century and hundreds of millions of dollars to keep screwworm out of its borders. Starting in the late 1950s, the main method involved producing sterile male flies and releasing them into the wild.
Since females mate only once, mating with sterile males breaks the reproductive cycle. Experts say this was an extremely effective strategy and could be reactivated.
From the 1960s, facilities in Florida, Texas, and Central America produced hundreds of millions of sterile flies weekly and released them in outbreak areas. This effort succeeded, and cases dropped to zero by 1982.
The US later continued the campaign in Mexico and Central America. According to experts, by 2004 the species had been pushed beyond the Panama Canal.
Billions of dollars in risk calculated after the new outbreak
However, over time, investments in sterile fly production facilities in cleared areas declined. While new facilities opened in the south, some northern facilities closed, leaving only the Panama facility operational.
Experts report that a new spread began in 2023 moving northward through Panama and Costa Rica, later reaching Mexico and now the US. How the species escaped control remains unclear.
The US Department of Agriculture is spending $750 million on a new facility in Texas that will produce 300 million sterile screwworms. This capacity is expected to be about three times the current level and approach the production scale of the 1960s.
The facility is expected to begin operations no earlier than late 2027. Until then, experts warn that the outbreak risk will remain high.
Official estimates suggest that a large-scale screwworm outbreak in Texas could cost about $1.8 billion annually due to livestock losses, veterinary services, treatment expenses, and additional labor.
Scientists debate complete eradication of the species
Some biosecurity and ethics experts are debating whether completely eliminating this species is morally justifiable. A research group is reportedly evaluating combining sterilization with genetic intervention to spread lethal genes through the species' gene pool.
This approach is not yet at a testable scale and is not ready for implementation. Experts also warn that such a step could have severe environmental consequences and set a dangerous precedent.
Still, some researchers argue that due to the pain screwworm causes in animals and humans, complete eradication should be considered. The debate is intensifying again in terms of both agricultural security and the limits of biotechnology.
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