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“They burrow their way into open wounds and bodily openings, such as the ears, laying hundreds of eggs." Human flesh-eating parasite returns to the US
BBC Wildlife Magazine • • nation
Key Points:
- The New World screwworm, a parasitic maggot that feeds on healthy living tissue of warm-blooded animals, has returned to the United States, posing threats to livestock, wildlife, pets, and potentially humans.
- Researchers at UC San Diego and San Diego County Public Health developed a dashboard tool to track screwworm risk by combining confirmed detections, environmental data, and media reports, enabling earlier identification of outbreaks.
- The screwworm was eradicated in the US in the 1950s through a sterile insect technique campaign, but it is now spreading northward rapidly, with confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico.
- Current eradication efforts led by the USDA include sterile insect releases, pesticides, quarantines, and testing of genetically modified screwworm strains, while collaboration with veterinarians aims to improve surveillance and prevent spread.
- Public access to the tracking dashboard is planned for the future, helping communities and officials prepare for and respond to the increasing threat of screwworm infestations.
