The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Sunday confirmed the country’s first travel-related human case of New World screwworm (NWS), a flesh-eating parasite, according to Reuters. The infection, detected in a traveler returning from El Salvador, was verified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 4 after an investigation by Maryland health authorities.
However, there shouldn’t be any public worries of the outbreak since the risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very low, according to NBC News.
According to the CDC, NWS typically is found in South America and the Caribbean. Infestations start when female flies deposit eggs in open wounds or on other vulnerable areas of living, warm-blooded animals. While livestock are the main hosts, birds and humans also can be affected. Female flies are drawn to the odor of wounds or natural openings such as the nose, mouth, eyes, genitals or the umbilical cord of newborn animals. (Learn more about NWS life cycle from California Department of Food and Agriculture.)
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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins opened an $8.5 million facility in South Texas for releasing sterile New World screwworm flies and introduced a comprehensive five-part plan to strengthen the the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to detect, control, and eradicate this pest. These measures are crucial to ending the NWS threat.
The best defense against myiasis, a parasitic infection caused by the larvae (maggots) of flies, is prevention. According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the CDC, follow these steps to help reduce the risk of New World screwworm infestation:
If you are traveling or living in tropical regions, to reduce your risk:
Keep any cuts or wounds clean and properly covered. Wear long, loose clothing and socks to reduce exposed skin.
Treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin products.
Stay indoors at night or in screened rooms to avoid insect exposure.
If you have pets at home or livestock in a ranch:
Monitor pets and livestock for symptoms of infection.
Ensure pets returning from overseas travel are checked for screwworm.
Manage livestock gently and remove sharp objects from pens and equipment that could cause injuries.
If your pets or livestock have wounds, apply approved insecticides promptly to the wounds and to umbilical cords of newborn animals.
Check your dogs after a walk. Summer is tick season in California. Safeguard animals from other parasites, like ticks, that can create openings for infestation.
