Latest news with #NewWorldScrewworm
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
U.S. plans to combat spread of "man-eater" screwworms with $8.5M facility of flies in Texas
The U.S. government on Wednesday released a five-prong policy initiative to stop the spread of New World screwworms in live cattle and other animal imports, including its plan to build an $8.5 million insect dispersal facility in Texas. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her department plans to open what amounts to a fly factory by the end of the year. The facility will breed millions of sterile New World screwworm (NWS) flies at Moore Air Base, according to the initiative. The male flies will then be released into the wild to mate with females and prevent them from laying eggs in wounds that become flesh-eating larvae. It would be only the second facility for breeding such flies in the Western Hemisphere, joining one in Panama that had largely kept the flies from migrating further north until last year. An adult New World screwworm fly (left) and a New World screwworm larvae (right). Denise Bonilla/USDA Agricultural Research Service via AP "The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again," Rollins said during a news conference at the South Texas air base with other state and cattle industry officials. Late last year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department warned outdoor enthusiasts to watch out for animals that may be impacted by the dangerous "man-eater" parasites from flies that lay eggs in open wounds, nostrils, eyes and mouths. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended imports of live cattle, horses and bison from Mexico. The New World Screwworm has been making its way further north through the Americas, Texas officials said, and the fly's appearance in southern Mexico has worried agriculture and cattle industry officials and veterinarians' groups. According to the USDA, the New World Screwworm "is a devastating pest." The scientific name for the parasite, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is roughly translated to "man-eater," according to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. "When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal," the USDA says. "NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds and, in rare cases, people." The USDA also plans to spend $21 million to convert a facility for breeding fruit flies near Mexico's southernmost border with Guatemala into one for breeding sterile New World screwworm flies, but it won't be ready for 18 months. The U.S. bred and released sterile New World screwworm flies into the wild decades ago, and it was largely banished from the country in the 1960s. Previously, it had been an annual scourge for cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in the Southeast. Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said Wednesday in a post on X that Rollins' plan "seems to us a positive step in different aspects, it will strengthen the joint Mexico-U.S. work." "We trust the enthusiasm for cooperation that Secretary Rollins mentioned, and based on objective results and the reports from the USDA mission visiting us this week, we will be able to restart exports of our cattle as soon as possible," he said. The new Texas facility would be built at Moore Air Base, less than 20 miles from the Mexico border, and the USDA said it would also consider building a companion fly-breeding center there so that up to 300 million flies could be produced a week. The Panama facility breeds about 100 million a week, and the one in Mexico could breed as many as 100 million, as well. The USDA has said the flies have been detected as close as 700 miles from the U.S. border, and some U.S. agriculture and cattle industry officials have worried that if the migration isn't checked, the flies could reach the border by the end of summer. Pressure from the U.S. prompted Mexico to step up efforts to control the fly's spread. Buck Wehrbein, a Nebraska cattle rancher and the president of the National Beef Cattlemen's Association, said Moore Air Base had a fly-breeding facility in the 1960s that helped eradicate it in the U.S. While there are treatments for New World screwworm infestations, cattle industry officials still worry that farmers and ranchers could see huge economic losses. They, agriculture officials and scientists also said the larvae can infest any mammal, including household pets, and it has occasionally been seen in humans. "The only way to protect the American cattle herd from the devastating threat of New World screwworm is by having a sufficient supply of sterile flies to push this pest away from our border," Wehrbein said. Texas officials said they are grateful the U.S. is taking the screwworm threat seriously and are pleased with the plans for combating it, including the new facility in Texas. Officials in other states are watching the fly's migration, as well, and see that having sterile male flies outnumber the non-sterile ones is crucial to checking its migration. "We have a real concern about wildlife because of their ability to cross the border unchecked somewhat, whether it's feral pigs, deer, wild cattle, whatever the case may be," Kansas Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith said in a recent interview. "There's an opportunity for them to be our exposure risk."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
County officials warn of possible fly infestation
Although no Texas cases had been reported as of Tuesday, Johnson County Commissioner Larry Woolley warned of a potential screwworm fly infestation in mid to late summer. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended importations of cattle, horses and bison from Mexico into the U.S. to prevent New World screwworm movement north following detection in Veracruz, Mexico. 'A lot of people may not remember the last time one of these happened,' Woolley said during Monday's Johnson County Commissioners Court meeting. 'I was in high school. I remember it vividly. It's not a pretty site and it's not something to be taken lightly.' Commissioner Kenny Howell agreed. 'I remember that too,' Howell said. 'It was a huge problem.' Although the closest detection is still 700 miles away, the New World screwworm is of increasing concern across the southern U.S., as it can potentially cause losses in the livestock and wildlife-related industries if it moves across the Mexican border and reestablishes. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working with Mexican officials to train personnel and expand surveillance and eradication efforts in Mexico to better address the movement of the fly northward. Should the New World screwworm enter the U.S., this fly is estimated to cause losses, conservatively, of $2.1 billion to cattle and $9 billion to the hunting/wildlife industry in Texas. Where the larvae of other flies feed on carcasses, the larvae of these flies feed on the live flesh of animals including people. 'All it takes is a cut or a drop of blood to attract them,' Woolley said. 'They are flesh-eating larvae called screwworms.' The larvae of the New World Screwworm flies burrow into the flesh of warm-blooded animals resulting in damage, possible secondary infections and potentially death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'The control method then and now is the distribution of sterile male flies into the population, and that's something they're working on now,' Woolley said. Typical insecticide use on the New World screwworm is not as effective as with other insect pests due to its wide host range and occurrence on wildlife. Eradication is the best way to control screwworms. However, control/removal of the fly when found on hosts is critical to reducing the local population so that the sterile fly program succeeds more quickly and reduces animal suffering. The New World screwworm is incapable of overwintering in regions that experience low temperatures or extended dry periods — they don't do well below 45 degrees and certainly die if frozen, however, the larvae can burrow about 6 inches into the soil, changing the temperatures that they experience. This fly poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife because it deposits eggs into the wounds of living animals, thereby leading to larval infestations. Because they can host on any living mammal, they can also affect pets and humans. This metallic green-blue fly with large orange eyes is about twice the size of a common house fly. New World screwworms do not bite animals; their damage comes from laying eggs in the open wounds of living, warm-blooded animals — though rarely birds. The immature fly larvae, or maggots, feed on the living tissues of hosts, burrowing into the animal's tissue, causing tremendous damage and often resulting in the host's death. Historically, ranchers have altered breeding dates to avoid birthing during the fly season. Common livestock management practices and events, such as castration, dehorning, branding and birthing in all animals and antler velvet shedding in deer, often resulted in infestations. Infestations can occur at the site of any recent wound, like a scrape, lesion or even a tick-feeding site. Other wounds of common infestation include those from ear tagging or shearing, as well as mucous membranes and antler shedding in deer. Newborn mammals are prone to infestations at the healing umbilical cord site. If a wound on a living animal is found to have larvae in it, a veterinarian must be contacted. Find an accredited veterinarian or Texas Animal Health Commission, TAHC, region office. The veterinarian is mandated by law to collect and submit the larvae for identification to the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory. Also, the animal should be immediately confined for wound care, and all larvae should be removed and placed into alcohol. After removing the larvae, treat the infestation with topical pesticides labeled for use on the animal to kill any larvae that may not have been removed and reduce the likelihood of re-infestation. The wound should be monitored until it fully heals. When dealing with livestock, all other animals in the herd should be checked for wounds and larvae. Anyone who finds fly larvae infesting a living animal, called myiasis, must report this to a state veterinarian. The protocol for reporting can be found on the Texas Animal Health Commission website or at the USDA-APHIS website. An informational webinar on the topic is available at and as a link through the county's website. 'I encourage people to watch that to be educated on the possible problems this may pose,' Woolley said. 'It can affect livestock, pets, people.'
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New World Screwworm Threatens Texas Agriculture
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling for quick intervention to fight the growing threat of the New World screwworm. This flesh-eating bug has cattle ranchers and agricultural leaders across the state on edge. In a statement published last week, Miller celebrated the Department of Agriculture's recent $21 million investment to expand sterile fly production in Metapa, Mexico—a big step in the fight against the screwworm flies that devastated livestock throughout the country in the 1960s. 'The New World Screwworm cannot be eliminated with half-hearted efforts,' Miller said. 'Actual eradication requires the strategic release of millions of sterile flies. I was skeptical of the Biden Administration's approach, but this collaborative effort led by Secretary Brooke Rollins at the United States Department of Agriculture, coupled with strong leadership from Texas Congressional members, will expand North American sterile fly production, marking a crucial step forward.' Miller's support follows recent reports from southern Mexico that screwworm infestations are creeping north, raising alarms for ranchers in the Lone Star State. According to a study by the World Organization for Animal Health, the parasite's larvae are known to burrow into the wounds of living mammals, including livestock, pets, and even humans, causing extensive tissue damage and potentially death. Miller said the USDA's new investment showcases international cooperation in the battle against the pest. 'This reinforces our defenses and strengthens our international partnership. Secretary Rollins recognizes the seriousness of this threat and is utilizing appropriate tools with necessary urgency to protect American agriculture,' Miller added. Miller also endorsed the STOP Screwworms Act, which was recently introduced by Rep. Tony Gonzales and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. The legislation would create a domestic 'sterile fly production facility' in Texas to boost the USDA's efforts and secure a steady supply of sterile flies for quick 'deployment' across the state. Apparently, as experts previously noted, sterile flies are one of the best solutions to fight the northern migration of the New World screwworm. Meanwhile, Texas A&M University is ramping up its own efforts to protect the cattle industry from the looming screwworm threat. Last week, the university announced a $5 million donation from the Rosenthal family to support a new Meat Science and Technology Center at its campus in Bryan, Texas. State officials, outside of Miller's efforts, continue to urge ranchers to remain vigilant for signs of the parasite and to report any cases immediately to the Texas Animal Health Commission or the USDA. Experts warn that the 'reintroduction 'of the New World screwworm could have devastating economic impacts in certain areas, not just for ranchers but also for consumers already facing high beef and overall grocery prices. As The Dallas Express previously reported, Americans are still reeling from the pressures of skyrocketing grocery prices, which the Biden Administration unleashed before he left office.
Metro
02-06-2025
- Health
- Metro
What is New World Screwworm and could it spread to humans?
A flesh-eating parasite known as New World Screwworm is moving closer and closer to the US border in Texas. The devastating parasite eats cattle and other animals alive and has travelled north from Central America to Mexico. In response to the spread within 700 miles of the Texas border, Washington halted cattle imports from Mexico in May. But what is New World Screwworm and can it spread to humans? Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on any warm-blooded animal. Once they do this, the eggs hatch and hundreds of screwworm larvae burrow through living flesh using their sharp mouths. This helps them to feed on and make the wound bigger, which eventually kills the host if left untreated. It means that when screwworms infect a cow, something like a tiny scrape, a recent brand or a healing ear tag can quickly become a gaping wound. Screwworms were eradicated from the US in the 1960s after researchers released massive numbers of sterilised male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. New World Screwworm typically impacts livestock but it can also affect humans. Dr Sonja Swiger, entomologist at Texas A&M University, told Metro: 'While it is rare for humans to get an infestation of NWS, it is not impossible. 'The flies are known to lay their eggs on any warm-blooded animal, but prefer livestock and wildlife over birds and humans, with dogs being another known target. 'One main reason humans are on the rare side is that most will keep their wounds clean or follow hygiene practices that might exclude them.' Dr Timothy Goldsmith, a veterinary medicine professor at the University of Minnesota, said homeless people are especially vulnerable to infestation. This is because they sleep outside and have less access to hygiene products and medical care. Dr Swiger recommended that if people are travelling to areas dealing with an outbreak or endemic for NWS, they should protect themselves and animals they may bring with them from attacks. This includes doing checks on animals before entry/re-entry into countries that are not endemic for NWS. 'The fly can only travel 10-20 km on its own, so animal movement or humans moving with infestations is of concern,' she said. Countries where NWS is endemic include Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South America, with cases spreading north to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Mexico. Dr Swiger said that it is not yet clear what is behind the drive north, though animal movement is a major concern. A factory designed to breed and sterilise screwworms in Panama is releasing 100 million sterile flies every week, but the flies have already passed through the narrowest stretches of land in Panama and Mexico. Screwworms cannot fly more than 12 miles on their own, but they can cover large distances while burrowed inside their hosts. The spread to the US would cause problems with livestock population and economic concerns. More Trending 'The largest impact would be to the livestock and wildlife industries if NWS were to return to the United States,' Dr Swiger said. 'That is currently being estimated in the multi-billions of dollars. With an estimated impact of up to $2 billion for livestock and $9 billion for wildlife.' It was announced by the US Department of Agriculture on Tuesday that it would invest $21million (£15.6million) to convert a fruit fly factory in Mexico to produce sterile screwworms. It said the border would likely reopen to cattle imports by the end of the year. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Mum finds 'more than 100 maggots' in tin of tuna she bought for toddler's lunch MORE: Warning after 250,000,000 bees escape when lorry crashes MORE: I couldn't train my deaf puppy so I taught him sign language
Metro
02-06-2025
- General
- Metro
Squawking flock of 40 peacocks terrorise locals in Staffordshire village
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Noisy peacocks have been keeping locals up in the early hours of the morning in a small Staffordshire village. The birds have been ruffling some feathers in Tutbury and the problem is so bad that the parish council has told people not to feed them. Droppings on driveways and vehicles, loud squawking and destroyed gardens are just some of the issues residents are fed up with. Retired dinner lady Marion West, 71, described the peakcoks as a 'bit of a pain'. She said: 'They're up half the night squawking and keep you awake. 'I squirt them with a water pistol if they come near me. If you're not careful, they poo everywhere, and it's such a mess. 'They eat your flowers too, they're a pain in the backside. When they walk on your roof, it sounds like you've got burglars.' Other residents who did not wish to be named described the birds as an 'absolute nuisance' who squawk during the early hours. But some, like Heather Hunter-Harris, 63, who has been living in the area for more than 16 years, think the peacocks are just part of the village's charm. She said: 'The peacocks have always been in Tutbury. I feel like if you take those out, you're taking Tutbury away. 'People come here to see the peacocks, and when they put their tails up, it looks lovely. 'You've just got to be tolerant, keep out their way, and let them get on with it.' According to council chair Francis Crossley, the growing peacock population in the village has created 'serious problems'. He said there were 26 peacocks during the council's last count but said there could now be up to 40. The council is asking everybody in the village to stop feeding the birds after residents complained that they are becoming an 'invasion of privacy'. More Trending Feeding the peacocks encourages them to roost and make loud, early-morning calls near homes, it added. Francis said: 'Some people love them, but some people can't bear them, it's a Marmite situation. 'They wouldn't attack anyone, but when they see their reflection, they do peck – like if they see a reflection in a car. 'As a Parish Council, we haven't really taken a view as they're not ours.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What is New World Screwworm and can it spread to humans? MORE: Mum finds 'more than 100 maggots' in tin of tuna she bought for toddler's lunch MORE: Warning after 250,000,000 bees escape when lorry crashes
