New World screwworm

More Funding to Prevent Spread of New World Screwworm

Dan Cattle, Pest/Pest Control

New World screwworm
Screwworm larva. Tusklike mandibles protruding from the screwworm larva’s mouth rasp the flesh of living warm-blooded animals. A wound may contain hundreds of such larvae.
By John Kucharski – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original uploader was Ellmistfrom
New World screwworm
New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a devastating pest. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people.
Courtesy of USDA/APHIS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated more funding to help in the fight against the spread of New World screwworm (NWS). Rust Halvorson has more details.

More Funding to Prevent Spread of New World Screwworm

APHIS is working with partners in Mexico and Central America to stop the spread of NWS into the United States and asking all producers along the southern border to watch their livestock and pets for signs of NWS and immediately report potential cases to their local veterinarian, State Veterinarian’s Office, or APHIS Veterinary Services.