Experts warn of ways screwworm could spread in the US and new difficulties in keeping it at bay
Summary
A parasitic fly called the new world screwworm is infecting wildlife and livestock in Central America and has recently appeared in the southern United States. Efforts to control the fly include releasing millions of sterile flies to reduce its population, but the fly has now become established in wild animals, making eradication harder and slower.Key Facts
- The new world screwworm fly causes wounds by laying eggs on animals, leading to infections.
- Cameras in Central American forests found many wild animals, like jaguars and deer, infected with screwworm.
- The fly has spread far into forest areas, becoming common in wildlife away from cattle.
- In the US, screwworm has been found mostly in Texas and once in New Mexico, but only in livestock and pets so far.
- The US and Mexico release sterile flies that cannot reproduce to reduce screwworm numbers.
- Experts say 100 million sterile flies are released now, but about 500 million are needed to fully erase the fly from the region.
- New methods are being developed, such as breeding only sterile males and better fly traps, but these need more time.
- Illegal cattle movement across borders helps spread screwworm, and controlling this could reduce the fly’s spread more effectively.
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