As the New World screwworm continues to infiltrate livestock and other animals in Texas, officials have identified a potential cause: small wildlife and rodents like armadillos, opossums, and rabbits.

Investigation Ongoing

The Texas Animal Health Commission made this determination based on conversations with entomologists. However, the source of the first case of New World Screwworm remains under investigation, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Entomologists and health experts say it’s still undetermined what allowed the invasive pest to finally breach the Texas-Mexico border. Epidemiological investigators have found no evidence linking Texas cases to the illicit movement of cattle from Mexico.

The USDA has repeatedly mentioned that models predicted that screwworm would inevitably arrive in the U.S. after the parasitic fly began moving north from South America in 2023. The pest began trickling up through Panama after it broke through the Darien Gap, which had served as a barrier for screwworm for decades.

There are 13 active cases of New World Screwworm in Texas as of Tuesday. An average of 15 suspected cases are reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission every day.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.