The US Department of Agriculture has issued a warning about a frightening parasite that hasn’t appeared in North America for more than a hundred years, suggesting it may have recently crossed over from Mexico.
Health officials in Mexico have notified the US regarding a recent discovery of a New World screwworm in a cow from Chiapas during an inspection close to the Guatemala border.
Screwworm flies are drawn to the edges of fresh wounds in warm-blooded animals, including humans, where they lay hundreds of eggs that develop into flesh-eating maggots, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When eggs hatch, the larvae may invade the bloodstream, leading to a condition known as myiasis, where they start to feed on their host from within.
The USDA is urging cattle producers to keep a close eye on their livestock and pets, and to report any concerns immediately until further notice.
Myiasis is a painful condition characterized by the presence of maggots, an unpleasant odor, and persistent lesions or sores that do not heal.
The USDA’s worries arose only a few decades after health organizations in the US, Mexico, and other Central American nations invested $800 million to eliminate the screwworm. A rise in illegal cattle trafficking in these countries poses a risk to consumers, potentially leading to the return of the parasite.
“With this latest find in Mexico, we will further intensify this work to protect American agriculture and reestablish the barrier in Central America,” said US Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Rosemary Sifford.
Authorities have announced that the recent outbreak started in Nicaragua and moved through Honduras and Guatemala over a period of two-and-a-half months before affecting livestock in southern Mexico.
“Evidence directly links illegal cattle trafficking to the screwworm’s resurgence,” said Jeremy Radachowsky, the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Regional Director for Mesoamerica, per the Daily. Mail. “By bypassing sanitary controls, often with stressed, undernourished and injured livestock, cattle smuggling creates the ideal conditions for transboundary transmission of diseases, including brucellosis, tuberculosis and parasites such as the screwworm.”
The WCS cautioned that such an infestation could be disastrous, potentially taking decades to eradicate and costing the US billions, along with posing health risks to individuals.
The US has paused imports of Mexican beef as investigations continue, while farmers are adopting strict measures to tackle the pest, including enhanced inspections, de-worming treatments, and bathing animals in pesticides to eradicate larvae before they spread.
The WS stated, “Only bold, coordinated international action can protect biodiversity, save billions in public spending and livestock losses and prevent a crisis from spiraling out of control.”