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Flesh-eating screwworms spread to third state and are attacking pets
Ars Technica • • nation
Key Points:
- The New World Screwworm (NWS) infestation has spread to Arizona, joining New Mexico and Texas in experiencing cases of the flesh-eating parasite, with 74 animal cases confirmed in the US since June.
- NWS larvae infest wounds and moist orifices of animals, causing severe and sometimes fatal damage as they burrow into living flesh before maturing into adult flies.
- The flies were eradicated in the US in the 1960s but have returned after a biological barrier in Central America was breached in 2022, allowing the parasites to spread northward.
- While primarily a threat to livestock, NWS also affects domestic pets and wildlife, with recent US cases including dogs, a cat, and a wild elk, and Mexico reporting 806 human cases with nine fatalities.
- Arizona officials identified the state's first case in a dog and are collaborating with the USDA to monitor and respond to the infestation, urging animal owners to report any suspicious wounds immediately.
