On Sunday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed the first human instance of an infestation by a “New World screwworm,” a flesh-eating parasite that was thought to have been wiped out in the country. The patient, who lived in Maryland and had just come back from a trip to El Salvador, was diagnosed with the virus on August 4.
The Maryland Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked jointly to look into the case and determine that the parasite larvae were present. Andrew Nixon, a representative for HHS, said that the risk to public health in the U.S. is “very low,” even though the diagnosis is scary. The infection is not communicable because it is caused by an insect, not a virus.
What Are Screwworms and Why Are They Dangerous?
Screwworms are the young of a kind of blowfly that lives off of other animals. Warm-blooded species, such livestock and, in rare occasions, people, have open wounds where the female flies lay their eggs. After the eggs hatch, the larvae dig into the host’s flesh and eat living tissue. Their horrible moniker comes from the way they move, which is like a screw being twisted into the body. This is because of their harmful eating habits.
If not treated, a screwworm infestation can kill the host since it causes a lot of damage and can lead to other ailments. To treat the wound, hundreds of larvae must be carefully removed, and then the area must be thoroughly cleaned.
In the United States, human cases are quite rare, but health and agricultural officials are most worried about the possible threat to the country’s animal industry. The screwworm parasite may quickly spread between cattle, and an outbreak could cost the economy billions of dollars. Reports say that the parasite has been migrating north from Central America and Mexico, which has made cow ranchers more alert.
The U.S. government is trying hard to stop the parasite from spreading. A sterile fly production facility is being built at Moore Air Force Base in Edinburg, Texas, as part of its plan. The facility will make and release sterilized male flies, and it should be ready to use in two to three years. The Sterile Insect Technique is a proven way to stop the screwworm from breeding, which was a crucial part of getting rid of the parasite in the U.S. in the 1960s.