US confirms three new cases of flesh-eating screwworm in livestock

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday confirmed three additional cases of New World screwworm – two more in Texas and the other in New Mexico, according to the agency’s animal health arm. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the two Texas cases affected a calf in La Salle county and a goat in Gillespie county. The service clarified that a fifth case reported earlier on Monday in a dog in Andrews county would be reclassified as the first case detected in New Mexico . The veterinarian who reported the case is located in Texas, the agency said – but the dog resides at a household in Lea county, New Mexico, which borders Texas. “This situation is evolving, and we expect new information to emerge as our investigation continues,” said Dudley Hoskins, USDA under-secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, in the release. On Monday, Texas governor Greg Abbott announced that the state’s emergency operations center had escalated its response level – therefore deploying more resources – to combat the spread of New World screwworm. New World screwworm is a serious pest that can infest any warm-blooded animal, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, people. The larvae burrow into the living tissue of animals, causing severe wounds, animal suffering and significant economic losses. …