The detection of a parasite, called New World worm, in Mexico, is causing concern among American health authorities. It can infect animals, but also humans.
- A parasite has been discovered in a cow in Mexico.
- Eradicated from the country in the 1990s and from the United States in the 1960s, its return worries the authorities.
- This worm can burrow into flesh using mouth hooks.
The United States fears the return of a parasite to its territory. In a press release published on December 30, 2024, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, a wildlife protection agency, warns of the detection of a case of Screwworm in Mexico. It was spotted in a cow in the south of the country. American authorities are calling for the greatest vigilance in the face of these pests, which were eradicated from the country in 1966.
Lucilie butcher: what is the screwworm detected in Mexico?
“This detection in a cow at an inspection checkpoint in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, follows the northward progression of the NWS across the South Americas and central, alerts the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. As a protective measure, animal health officials are asking people at the South Texas border to monitor wildlife, livestock and pets for clinical signs of NWS and to immediately report any potential cases.”
These signs can be a change in behavior, irritability, depression, loss of appetite, head tremors or even the presence of larva in the wounds.
New World Worm (NWS): what are the risks for humans?
New World screwworms are larvae, derived from the NWS fly, called Cochliomyia hominivorax. This insect lays eggs in open wounds or in certain orifices such as the eyes, mouth or nostrils. “These eggs hatch into dangerous parasitic larvae, and the maggots burrow or screw into the flesh with their sharp mouth hooks, specify the American authorities. Wounds can become larger, and an infestation can often cause serious and fatal damage or death of the infected animal.” Livestock animals are most vulnerable to the disease, but this worm can also infect humans and other animals such as birds or deer.
How to eradicate the worm from the New World?
To protect yourself, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department advises cleaning and covering wounds and applying insect repellent to clothing to avoid contact with the NWS. The organization recalls that the eradication of the parasite in the United States in the mid-1960s required “costly efforts by federal and state animal health officials, livestock producers and veterinarians”. In Mexico, the parasite had been eradicated during the 1990s.”NWS discovery in Mexico poses serious threat to U.S. livestock industry, wildlife and public healthalert her North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA). Left unchecked, NWS infestations could spread further north, imperiling ecosystems and causing devastating economic impacts.”
