Everything you need to know about a flesh-eating parasite spreading in the US

Key Points:

• The New World screwworm (NWS), a dangerous flesh-eating parasite, has been detected in Texas and New Mexico, threatening livestock, wildlife, and occasionally humans and birds.
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched a comprehensive website providing maps, training, identification resources, and reporting tools to help residents protect animals and rural communities from NWS.
• The USDA reports 12 current NWS cases in the U.S. affecting cattle, goats, sheep, and dogs, marking the first outbreak since 2017; emergency medication use for infected dogs and cats has also been approved.
• Texas has established a joint NWS Response Team and declared a statewide disaster to coordinate efforts, including a $750 million sterile fly production facility in Edinburg to combat the parasite.
• The parasite lays eggs in open wounds of warm-blooded animals, with larvae feeding on flesh and causing severe infections; residents are urged to monitor animals and report suspected cases to the Texas Animal Health Commission.