MIAMI — Health officials and doctors are trying to get ahead of any potential problems and inform the public about cases of New World Screwworm, in both humans and livestock.
It’s a parasitic fly that lands on an open wound. Females lay anywhere from 200 to 300 eggs, and once they hatch, the maggots feed on live tissue, causing a painful infestation in humans and in animals.
“They burrow under the skin and spread under the skin,” explained Wags Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Ori Eizenberg Weigner. “What happens from that point is you get secondary bacterial infections, inflammatory responses, and that’s why it’s fatal within 7-14 days.”
While human cases are rare, just last week a human infection was confirmed in Maryland in a patient that returned from El Salvador.
It comes amid an outbreak among livestock in Mexico and countries across central and South America.
“The predominate location of this fly is in Central America, and nature goes north and south, so that’s why these geographical areas are affected,” said Eizenberg Weigner.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says, to date, New World Screwworm has not been reported or detected in the United States in animals.
It’s not typically found in the United States, but health officials are already trying to get on top of it before it becomes a major issue like in the 1960s, creating devastating health and financial impacts.
“It spanned from Louisiana to California, resulting in, if you adjust for inflation, about $1.8 billion to the U.S. economy, affecting 7 million cattle,” said Eizenberg Weigner.
Back in 2015, Florida had an issue with screwworms attacking Key Deer. It can also affect household pets.
“Larva wound that is progressing, maybe the animal wants to seclude itself, anorexia, lethargy,” said Eizenberg Weigner.
So what’s being done to stop a potential spread?
Sterilizing flies has proven to be the most effective approach. A facility will be constructed in Texas, near the border, to produce up to 300 million sterile flies.
While there are no cases in Florida, Eizenberg Weigner said the key is to stay informed.
“The goal is not to scare people,” said Eizenberg Weigner. “Early detection, early intervention is key.”
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