Screwworm Can Infect People, Pets, And Livestock—What To Watch For
The New World screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae eat live tissue, has been detected in cattle and a goat in Texas and a dog in New Mexico. This parasite can also infect humans, with a recent case in a traveler returning from El Salvador. The spread is attributed by some to budget cuts at the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the decommissioning of a key agricultural research center, impacting sterile fly production capabilities. AI
