The return of the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, has raised concerns about its potential impact on the nation’s food supply. However, experts say the screwworm is not a threat to the food on our dinner tables.
Local Impact
In Texas, 33 screwworm infections have been reported in animals, including cattle, goats, and a pet dog, since early June. The first detection in the U.S. since the 1960s was confirmed in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, on June 3.
According to Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, the U.S. food supply is not compromised by the New World screwworm, which is an animal issue, but not a foodborne pathogen issue. Screwworms die off during standard meat processing and cooking.
Prevention and Control
The USDA is combating the current outbreaks by deploying sterile male flies to mate with female flies using the Sterile Insect Technique, which helped eradicate the infestation in the 1960s. The agency has also announced a $21 million investment to renovate a sterile screwworm fly production facility in southern Mexico and plans to spend $750 million on a new fly factory at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas.
To protect against infection, the CDC recommends taking steps to prevent the spread of the screwworm, including properly disposing of maggots and seeking medical attention if symptoms persist.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
