A flesh-eating parasite that feeds on warm-blooded animals has been discovered in the United States, raising concerns among livestock producers about the livestock industry.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday that a calf in Texas was found to be infected with a parasitic fly that feeds on live warm-blooded animals.
This is the first detection of the parasite since 1996 and the third time it has appeared in the United States. Over the past year, it has spread north through Mexico.
A new outbreak has been confirmed in La Pryor, Texas, located about 30 miles northeast of the US-Mexico border.
While the pest does not pose a food safety threat, livestock owners now fear that the outbreak could lead to herd reductions, reduced beef production and higher prices for consumers.
The parasitic fly lays eggs in open wounds or holes, which hatch into larvae that penetrate living tissue. — iStockphoto
The New World blowfly is an insect that lays eggs in open wounds or openings such as the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
After hatching from the eggs, hundreds of larvae burrow into living tissue, causing a progressive, often painful, foul-smelling wound that eventually leads to the death of the host if left untreated.
This pest can affect humans and animals, but human cases are rare, although they can be fatal.
The last person infected with meat meal in the United States was a Maryland resident who had traveled from El Salvador. He made a full recovery.
The Department of Agriculture said steps have been taken in Texas to contain and eradicate the parasite, including creating a 12.5-mile-radius infestation zone, implementing quarantines, restricting travel in the area and conducting surveillance.
To prevent the spread of the pest, sterile flies will also be released. These are used to kill female flies, which only lay eggs once in their lifetime, meaning any eggs they lay will be unfertilized and will not hatch.
The parasite was declared eradicated in the United States when the disease first broke out decades ago, but in recent years there has been a surge in cases in South America, which experts are monitoring.
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