Economic analysis reports from Texas Department of Agriculture

Texas Warns of New World Screwworm 'Man-Eater' Parasite Spread From Mexico to Livestock

Jan 6, 2025, 04:00 PM

Texas officials are issuing warnings about the resurgence of the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite known as the 'man-eater', following its detection in livestock near the southern border with Mexico. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has advised hunters and outdoor enthusiasts in South Texas to monitor wildlife, livestock, and pets for signs of the parasite, which can infest open wounds, nostrils, eyes, and mouths. The New World Screwworm, scientifically named Cochliomyia hominivorax, was found in a cow in the Mexican state of Chiapas, indicating its northward movement through the Americas. The parasite's larvae can cause serious, often deadly damage to animals, and its spread is believed to be facilitated by the illegal cattle trade in Central and South America. Each female fly can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. The parasite was eradicated from the United States in 1966 using the sterile insect technique. Clinical signs of an infestation include irritated or depressed behavior, loss of appetite, head shaking, the smell of decaying flesh, and the presence of maggots in wounds.