USDA confirms screwworm in Texas

The official USDA-APHIS announcement reports the detection of New World screwworm in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas. The affected animal was a three-week-old calf and, as of the publication date, no further detections had been confirmed. APHIS notes that this pest affects livestock, pets, wildlife and, less commonly, people and birds; its larvae burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious damage and economic losses. USDA and Texas officials announced immediate containment and eradication actions, including a unified incident command team, a 20 km infested zone, quarantines, movement controls, surveillance, targeted release of sterile flies, increased trapping, wildlife management strategies and local outreach. The notice also indicates that USDA will seek to mitigate economic impacts from restrictions and negotiate with trading partners to regionalize measures affecting live animals.