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Texas agency and federal partners step up planning as New World screwworm spreads in Mexico
Summary
The Texas Animal Health Commission and federal partners described escalating detections of New World screwworm in Mexico, training and logistical efforts to respond, and limits to current U.S.-Mexico operational cooperation that could affect timing of a U.S. response.
The Texas Animal Health Commission reported that detections of New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in southern Mexico and Central America have continued to rise and that preparations in Texas and nationally are increasing.
Commission staff said Mexico has expanded checkpoints and surveillance but that operational restrictions in Mexico have limited full deployment of the sterile insect technique. Agency staff described weekly increases in case counts, and said federal partners expect it may take months to verify the effects of buffer-zone sterile-release efforts.
Why it matters: New World screwworm infests living animal tissue and can kill livestock and wildlife; eradication campaigns rely on release of sterile flies produced at specialized facilities. If the pest moves north, Texas livestock and wildlife…
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