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U.S. Confirms First Human Case of Travel-Associated New World Screwworm

Washington, August 25 — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed the nation’s first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasitic infestation, linked to an outbreak-affected country.


According to HHS spokesperson Andrew G. Nixon, the case was investigated by the Maryland Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It was officially confirmed on August 4 and involved a patient who had recently returned from El Salvador.

However, industry sources previously told Reuters that the infection was identified in a Maryland resident who had traveled from Guatemala, highlighting discrepancies between official and industry accounts. Nixon did not clarify the conflicting reports.

Despite the confirmation, federal officials sought to reassure the public. “The risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very low,” Nixon said. Notably, no animal cases have been reported in the U.S. this year.

The confirmation comes at a time of heightened concern within the cattle and livestock sector. Screwworm, which has advanced northward from Central America and southern Mexico, poses a major threat to the U.S. beef industry. A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) analysis estimates that a large-scale outbreak in Texas, the nation’s leading cattle-producing state, could result in losses of up to $1.8 billion in livestock deaths, labor, and treatment costs.

Just last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans in Texas to build a sterile fly production facility, part of long-term containment and eradication efforts.

Meanwhile, confusion persists over the case’s disclosure. According to sources, state veterinarians and livestock officials were first alerted through informal channels rather than direct CDC communication. Beth Thompson, South Dakota’s state veterinarian, said:
“We found out via other routes and then had to go to CDC to tell us what was going on. They weren’t forthcoming at all. They turned it back over to the state to confirm anything that had happened or what had been found in this traveler.”

The Maryland Department of Health has not yet responded to requests for comment.

What Are Screwworms?

Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds of warm-blooded animals. Upon hatching, larvae burrow into the host’s living flesh, feeding in a corkscrew-like motion that gives the pest its name. If untreated, infestations are often fatal.

The confirmation of this human case has intensified industry concerns, with beef producers and ranchers warning that vigilance will be critical to preventing a wider outbreak in the U.S.

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