The New World screwworm, a parasite that can infest warm-blooded animals, has been found in the United States for the first time in decades. While public health leaders have emphasized that the parasite is not a threat to the nation’s food safety, it does pose a threat to animals that are part of the country’s food supply.
Economic Impact
The Dallas Federal Reserve estimates that the potential economic damage from the screwworm could be in the billions for the southwestern US alone. This could lead to higher prices for beef and other livestock products.
However, experts say that it’s nearly impossible for the screwworm to end up on your dinner table. The larvae need living tissue to survive and develop, and they are not capable of surviving on nonliving material.
Prevention and Control
The US Department of Agriculture has a thorough meat inspection system in place to prevent infested animals from entering the food supply. If an animal is found to be infested, it will be separated from others and deemed unfit for human consumption.
Animals that have healed from a screwworm infection may eventually end up in the food supply, but they would no longer carry the larvae. The USDA encourages hunters to be on the lookout for infestations and to report any suspected cases to the local Wildlife Services office.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
