First US Human Case of Screwworm Diagnosed in Maryland Resident

First Human Case of Screwworm in the US

• ⚠️ A human case of screwworm has been diagnosed in a Maryland resident, marking the first in the United States.
• 📍 The patient likely contracted the flesh-eating parasite while traveling in El Salvador.

Screwworm Threat to Livestock

• 🥩 Screwworm is a parasite known to feed on warm-blooded animals, including livestock and wildlife.
• 📈 The parasite has resurfaced after causing epidemics in Central America 40 years ago and is now moving northward.
• 🐂 Infestations in Mexico have led the USDA to pause live animal imports into Texas.

Texas Combats Screwworm Outbreak

• 💰 Governor Abbott is launching a new initiative, allocating approximately $750 million to combat screwworm.
• 🔬 The plan includes opening a sterilization facility near the Mexico border to sterilize screwworm flies.
• 📉 The economic impact on Texas's cattle and livestock industries could amount to billions of dollars in losses annually.