Latest news with #NewWorldScrewworm
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
What Is the New World Screwworm Fly and why the US has issued a livestock ban at the Mexico border
The United States has taken emergency action to suspend livestock imports from northern Mexico after detecting the alarming spread of the New World Screwworm fly, a parasitic insect that poses a deadly threat to livestock health and the American cattle industry. This insect, which lays eggs in the open wounds of warm-blooded animals, has larvae that consume living flesh, unlike common fly maggots that feed on decaying matter. With a newly detected infestation found just 370 miles from the Texas border, US officials fear a repeat of the devastating outbreaks of the mid-20th century that cost farmers millions in livestock losses. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responding swiftly with containment strategies, including a revival of the sterile fly release program, new infrastructure, and tighter border controls. What is the New World Screwworm Fly The New World Screwworm is the larval stage of a metallic blue blow fly found in the Western Hemisphere. But unlike other blow flies, whose maggots feed on decaying organic matter, these parasitic maggots feed on living tissue. According to Dr. Phillip Kaufman, entomology professor at Texas A&M University, this distinction makes the New World Screwworm particularly dangerous to livestock health. The larvae aggressively burrow into the open wounds of warm-blooded animals, including cows, horses, wildlife, and occasionally humans. What makes the New World Screwworm Fly so dangerous The New World Screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is not your average parasite. Female flies lay eggs inside wounds of animals such as cattle, deer, and even humans. But unlike typical fly larvae, screwworm maggots feed on living tissue, burrowing deeper into the flesh and causing large, infected wounds. If left untreated, infested animals suffer from pain, severe tissue damage, and potentially death. The parasite spreads quickly and can cause outbreaks among herds, making it particularly dangerous for ranchers and livestock producers. Additionally, wild animals can act as hosts, allowing the parasite to spread undetected. USDA imposes emergency livestock ban to block Screwworm entry To prevent the pest from entering the US, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a temporary halt to livestock imports from northern Mexico, effective immediately. Rollins emphasized that the USDA's early monitoring systems allowed for "quick and decisive action" to be taken. The move aims to create a barrier that halts the parasite's advance into the US, particularly into Texas, a state with a large cattle population. Screwworm spread in the US in 1970s The screwworm was once widespread in the US, causing enormous damage until it was eradicated in the 1970s. The breakthrough came through the sterile insect technique, where millions of lab-bred, sterile male flies were released into the wild. When these males mated with wild females, no offspring were produced, reducing the population over time. This method worked so effectively that the parasite was completely eliminated from the US and pushed back to Panama, where it was contained for decades—until now. How sterile flies might help to stop the Screwworm outbreak The New World screwworm first emerged as a serious threat in the US in 1933, causing devastating losses to cattle producers, particularly in the Southeast, where damages reached between $50 to $100 million by the early 1960s. In response, the US government introduced the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) in the 1950s—a groundbreaking method that involved sterilizing male screwworm flies using radiation. According to USA Today reports, these sterile males were released in large numbers into the wild, where they mated with wild females, resulting in infertile eggs. Since female screwworm flies mate only once, this dramatically reduced the population. The technique was a major success, and by 1966, the screwworm was declared eradicated from the US, at a cost of $32 million—ultimately protecting an $80 billion cattle industry. However, with the parasite's resurgence in Mexico, the USDA has launched a renewed effort. On June 18, it announced an $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas, set to begin operations by the end of the year. Additionally, the US is investing $21 million to upgrade a production facility in Metapa, Mexico, which will produce up to 100 million sterile flies weekly. The goal is to eventually release 400–500 million flies weekly to reestablish the screwworm barrier at the Panama-Colombia border. USDA's multi-million dollar action plan The US is not taking chances. The USDA announced an expanding containment infrastructure and increasing response capabilities. Key elements of the plan include: A new sterile fly breeding facility (or 'fly factory') to be built in southern Mexico by late 2025 A fly holding center in southern Texas to allow rapid deployment of sterile flies in case of an emergency Aerial release programs targeting outbreak zones using planes to distribute sterile flies across wide areas These measures are modeled on the successful campaigns of the past, and officials are optimistic they can contain the threat—if action is taken quickly enough. What happens if the Screwworm Fly crosses into the US If the parasite does breach the US border, the USDA is prepared to implement an emergency aerial release of millions of sterile flies. These would target potential breeding zones in southern Texas and other high-risk regions. Combined with aggressive surveillance and treatment protocols, this strategy is aimed at eradicating any early outbreaks before they escalate. Failure to act quickly could lead to livestock quarantines, meat shortages, and billions in economic losses making proactive containment the only viable option. New World Screwworm Fly: Related FAQs What is the New World Screwworm Fly? A parasitic insect that lays eggs in wounds; its larvae feed on the living tissue of animals. Why did the US halt livestock imports from northern Mexico? To prevent the screwworm fly from spreading into Texas and other parts of the US How does the sterile insect technique work? Sterile male flies are released to prevent successful reproduction and gradually eliminate the population. Is the infestation under control in Mexico? Mexican officials report a decline in infected animals but the parasite has spread closer to the US border. What is the USDA's long-term plan? It includes border monitoring, new fly production facilities, aerial fly releases, and emergency containment strategies. 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First Post
5 days ago
- Science
- First Post
Flesh-eating pests are coming. US plans to counter them by releasing millions of flies from planes
The US government is planning to carry out a shocking plan in which they will take millions of sterile New World screwworm flies that they have bred in a facility and dump them over the US-Mexico border. The aim is to kill off the species, which is known to eat the flesh of cows and horses read more A worker holds two small containers of New World Screwworm fly pupae at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacora, Panama. The US plans to build another facility near the Mexico border too. COPEG/AP Picture this: Hundreds of millions of flies being dropped from planes. It sounds incredulous — almost like something from a horror movie. But, in fact, the US government actually plans on breeding flies and then dropping them from aircraft in efforts to eliminate a flesh-eating parasite that targets cows and cattle. US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on Wednesday (July 9) that the federal government would release millions of sterile male New World screwworm flies into the wild to mate with females and prevent them from laying the eggs. This plan —essentially fighting flies with flies — will help to protect the more than $100 billion US cattle and beef industry from the New World screwworm. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What do we know of this plan? How will it work? We get you all the answers. Fighting flies with flies The US plans to build a fly-breeding facility in Texas near the Mexico border at a cost of $8.5 million in order to combat the menace of New World screwworm (NWS) flies. The new US dispersal facility is expected to be located at the Moore Air Base in Hidalgo County, Texas. Interestingly, this will be the second such facility in the Western Hemisphere, joining one in Panama that had largely kept the flies from migrating further north until last year. 'The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again,' Rollins was quoted as telling a news conference at the South Texas air base with other state and cattle industry officials. Federal officials state that the factory will propagate millions of sterile male screwworm flies and those will be released into the wild. These male flies will then seek fertile females and help prevent them from laying eggs. A worker uses a machine to mix food for the sterile fly breeding programme in Pacora, Panama. COPEG via AP But how will this plan work? The idea behind it is mass sterilisation. In the 1950s, the US government came up with the Sterile Insect Technique, a method that utilised radiation to sterilise male flies. These sterile males were then released into the wild wherein they mated with the female, resulting in unfertilised eggs. Female flies mate only once, so if they pair with a sterile fly, they will be unable to reproduce. No fertile eggs meant no more screwworms. The success of the programme — in 1966, the US officially eradicated the insect, protecting its cattle and beef industry — resulted in similar ones being created for mosquitoes too. As Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies parasites in animals, told NBC News, 'It's an exceptionally good technology. It's an all-time great in terms of translating science to solve some kind of large problem.' Additionally, it is also more effective and environmentally friendly than spraying copious amounts of pesticide into the air to eradicate this pest. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD About the 'flesh eater' New World Screwworm flies New World Screwworms, scientifically known as cochliomyia hominivorax, is a devastating pest. It draws its name — screwworm — owing to its feeding behaviour as they burrow (screw) into the wound, feeding as they go like a screw being driven into wood. According to Dr Phillip Kaufman, a professor and head of the department of entomology at Texas A&M University, what sets them apart from other flies is that they feed on the flesh of living animals — mostly cows and horses — rather than dead ones. An adult New World screwworm fly sits at rest in this undated photo. AP In some cases, New World Screwworm flies have infected domestic pets and even humans. In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that individuals in the affected areas who 'spend time among livestock animals, sleep outdoors and have an open wound are at greater risk of becoming infested with [New World Screwworms].' They are endemic to Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and some South American countries. Experts note that these flies cause extensive damage by tearing at the hosts' tissue with sharp mouth hooks. The wound can become larger and deepen as more maggots hatch and feed on living tissue. As a result, NWS can cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. In drastic situations, the flies can also kill an animal in a matter of one to two weeks and spread to others, posing a threat to the livelihood of ranchers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dr. Michael Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association, even told USA Today, 'This can kill a 1,000-pound cow in two weeks.' New infestation moving towards the US Since 2022, years after its eradication from the US, the New World screwworm has once again spread northwards through several countries in Central America. Cases exploded in Panama in 2023 and the fly had reached Mexico by November 2024. American cattle is at risk of the screwworm flies. AP Scientists have said that there are a number of reasons for this — higher temperatures enhancing fly development and survival, and the possibility that females are adapting their sexual behaviour to avoid sterile males. Around 17 million cattle are now at risk in Central America, but the worse is yet to come. Mexico has twice as many cattle, and the spread towards the US continues, where around 14 million cattle would be at risk in Texas and Florida alone. In fact, the US has responded by restricting live animal imports from Mexico, a move denounced by President Claudia Sheinbaum. She said that fears of the worm were overblown, pointing out that a single case in the eastern state of Veracruz had prompted the import pause. 'From our point of view, it is a totally exaggerated decision to close the border again,' Sheinbaum said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
USA Today
5 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
The government plans to drop a horde of flies over Texas border. Here's why.
By dropping the sterile, fully developed flies, the USDA plans to prevent flesh-eating maggots from reaching the United States. Here's how. The United States plans to bring back a somewhat shocking, but very effective, campaign to fight a flesh-eating parasitic fly that's been sighted in Mexico. The plan: Breed millions of sterilized flies and drop them over the Texas-Mexican border to protect the more than $100 billion U.S. cattle and beef industry from the New World screwworm. "This can kill a thousand-pound cow in two weeks," said Dr. Michael Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "The federal government is being very aggressive in working to contain this." It's not as crazy as it sounds. A similar effort worked well decades ago. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a release, "The U.S. has defeated NWS before and can successfully do it again." The effort works by sterilizing male screwworm flies so that when they mate with females the resulting eggs are infertile. Over time so few fertile eggs are created that the fly is eradicated altogether. An effort across the United States, Mexico and Central America that began in the 1950s was so successful this flying menace was totally eradicated north of Panama, except for a few tiny outbreaks. The U.S control program cost $32 million and was ended in the 1960s. But this past November, Mexico's Chief Veterinary Officer notified the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that a New World screwworm had been found in a cow in southern Mexico close to the border with Guatemala. This set off blazing alarm bells for the entire U.S. cattle and beef industry. So once again, USDA is ramping up its protective program to blanket the potential path of this reemerging threat onto the United States with a rain of sterile males to stop what USDA calls "a devastating pest." What is the New World Screwworm? So far, the screwworms have only been seen in Mexico. "We have not seen any screwworms cross over the border into the U.S. and we're trying hard to prevent that," said Bailey. By dropping the sterile, fully developed flies, the USDA plans to keep the maggots from ever reaching the border. The New World Screwworm, or the NWS for short, is about the size common housefly. It has orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body and three dark stripes along their backs, according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The fly gets its name for how its maggots feed on the living flesh of an animal by burrowing, or screwing, into an open wound, creating "extensive damage by tearing at the hosts' tissue with sharp mouth hooks," the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service states. This results in long, deep wounds in the surrounding flesh that are also susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, causing severe pain, and potentially death if left untreated. Livestock, pets and wildlife are all threatened, as are humans in rare cases. "To give you the heebie-jeebies, you can actually see the skin moving. And it smells rank," said Bailey. Animals at greatest risk include those that have recently given birth, have open wounds, or have undergone surgery or management procedures such as dehorning or branding, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. It's dangerous enough that veterinarians are urged to wear disposable gloves when treating affected animals. How do sterile male flies help? The screwworm first became a significant problem in the United States in 1933, according to the USDA. By the early 1960s, Southeast cattle producers had lost between $50-$100 million because of screwworm infestations. Beginning in the 1950s, the federal government established the Sterile Insect Technique, a method that utilized radiation to sterilize male flies. These mass-produced sterile males were released into target areas. They mated with females, resulting in unfertilized eggs. No fertile eggs meant no more screwworms. Similar programs have been created to release sterile mosquitos. The screwworm program was a stunning success. The insect was officially eradicated in the United States by 1966, at a cost of $32 million to complete – protecting the U.S. cattle and beef industry, worth more than $80 billion today. With the screwworm's return to Mexico, USDA on June 18 announced the launch an $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas. It's anticipated to begin producing sterile males by the end of the year. In addition, USDA is working with Mexico to begin producing sterile screwworms. The agency is investing $21 million to renovate an existing fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico. It will be able to produce between 60 and 100 million sterile flies each week within a year. It's the first step toward producing the estimated 400 to 500 million flies needed each week to re-establish the new New World Screwworm barrier at the Darien Gap at the border of Panama and Columbia – and stop the movement of the flies. Pets, especially dogs, are vulnerable to the screwworm Wildlife, including deer, are vulnerable to the maggots as are pets – and especially dogs. "There's a treatment availalbe, but it takes several days in quarantine if a dog comes down with this," Bailey said. The treatment can only be used in non-food animals, which is why cattle simply have to be euthanized if they're infected. The goal is for the new effort will stop the screwworms long before they threaten the United States again. "Hopefully, this becomes another 'I remember when' story for veterinarians," Bailey said. Contributing: John Bacon, David Baratz, Greta Cross, Janet Loehrke, George Petras and Mike Snider.
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Mexico's Sheinbaum Blasts Trump Admin's Move: 'Completely Exaggerated'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. At a Thursday press conference, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum called the U.S. government's decision to once again close the border to cattle imports, "completely exaggerated," following the detection of a screwworm case in Veracruz, Mexico. On Wednesday evening, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced an immediate suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through southern border ports due to the continued northward spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico. "From our point of view, they took a completely exaggerated decision in closing the border," Sheinbaum said Thursday. The USDA had previously reopened certain ports, such as Douglas, Arizona, after Mexico's efforts to control the pest. Newsweek has reached out to Mexico's Foreign Ministry for comment via email on Thursday. La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum calificó como totalmente exagerada la decisión del gobierno de Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 de volver a cerrar la frontera con México 🇲🇽 a la importación de ganado, tras la detección de un caso de gusano barrenador en Veracruz. — IMER Noticias (@IMER_Noticias) July 10, 2025 This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
U.S. again halts cattle imports from Mexico over screwworm pest
In this Jan. 2024 photo provided by The Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Cattle Screwworms (COPEG), a worker drops New World screwworm fly larvae into a tray at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacora, Panama. (COPEG via AP) CHICAGO — The flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm has advanced closer to the U.S. border with Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, prompting Washington to block imports of Mexican cattle just days after it allowed them to resume at a port of entry in Arizona. Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, usually livestock and wild animals. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated. Mexico reported screwworms about 370 miles south of the U.S. border in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, on Tuesday, the USDA said in a statement late on Wednesday. The agency ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately. 'Closing the border isn't just justified, it's essential,' said Bill Bullard, CEO of U.S. cattle producers' group R-CALF USA. An infestation in the United States could add to further tightening supplies of cattle, which are at their lowest levels in decades, and also endanger other livestock and household pets. The USDA suspended Mexican cattle imports in May after screwworm was detected about 700 miles from the U.S. border at farms in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. The agency said last week that it would resume imports on Monday at a port of entry in Douglas, Arizona, as part of a phased reopening of the border because screwworms had not been moving north in Mexico. Now, the USDA needs to see more progress in combating the pest in Veracruz and nearby Mexican states to reopen livestock ports on the southern border, Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s when researchers released sterilized male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. The USDA said last month that it would build a sterile fly dispersal facility in Hidalgo County, Texas, and consider a sterile fly production facility. The agency should immediately begin work on a U.S. sterile fly production facility, said Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association industry group. 'The New World screwworm's northward movement jeopardizes the safety of American agriculture,' he said. 'We cannot wait any longer.' --- Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Porter
