Flesh-eating fly case near Texas border triggers warnings for Texas ranchers

A parasitic fly larva, known as New World Screwworm, was most recently confirmed in Gonzalez, Tamaulipas, on Thursday, about 215 miles south of the Texas border, according to Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.  It’s the third Screwworm infection that Tamaulipas has recorded.

The pest gets its name from its feeding behavior of burrowing itself into open wounds on livestock and people, according to Texas A&M Agrilife Research.  The behavior causes serious damage that can lead to death if the infestation isn’t discovered and treated.

In the most recent case in Tamaulipas, the infected animal had no reported history of movement outside the area, signaling that the pest might be moving closer to Texas on its own, without links to commercial animal movement.

Ranchers are encouraged to inspect their animals daily.  Check every open wound, and if anything looks suspicious, report it immediately.  Miller said the state’s agriculture department is working closely with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, which is collaborating with Mexico’s National Service for Health, Safety, and Agro-Food Quality to investigate the cases further and stop the pest’s spread.

U.S. agriculture officials halted live cattle crossing the border in July due to concerns about the flesh-eating maggot, the Associated Press reported.  All southern ports of entry remained closed to livestock trade since the July suspension.