Screwworm: Flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas
The New World screwworm has been detected in Central Texas. Officials say they have confirmed a case in a goat in Gillespie County. The Gillespie
The New World screwworm has been detected in Central Texas. Officials say they have confirmed a case in a goat in Gillespie County. The Gillespie County case marks the fourth in Texas, says the US Department of Agriculture. The case was confirmed around noon on June 8. The USDA says it and the Texas Animal Health Commission are working to get additional details about the case and establish surveillance and testing in the area.
The three other Texas cases were in cattle in Zavala County, southwest of San Antonio, and La Salle County, northeast of Laredo. Another case was found in a dog and reported in Andrews County, Texas, but officials say the dog actually resides in Lea County, New Mexico. The New World screwworm is considered one of the most devastating livestock and wildlife pests in history. The insect gets its name because it’s only found in the Americas.
It lays its eggs in the open wounds of animals, and its larvae become parasites. Unlike common fly larvae, screwworm maggots burrow into and feed exclusively on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing severe injury, massive economic loss, and death if left untreated. While rare, they can also infect humans. The screwworm was mostly eradicated in Texas and the rest of the United States in the 60s. But now, it’s moving north up from Panama and has a known presence a little over 300 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border.
Jonathan Richie with Texas Bullpen joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac to discuss. Subscribe to LiveNOW from FOX! Where to watch LiveNOW from FO Raw and unfiltered. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. Limited commentary. No opinion. Experience LiveNOW from FOX. Live news streaming channel when and where you need it.
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