At a U.S.-funded facility in Panama, scientists are preparing to launch the first outdoor tests of genetically modified screwworm flies, a milestone in efforts to develop a more effective weapon against the flesh-eating parasite that has spread through Central America and into the United States.

Local Impact

The parasite, known as New World screwworm, has infested livestock on Texas farms for the first time in decades, with estimated losses of over $1 billion to the state’s livestock industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Panama’s Ministry of Agricultural Development jointly manage and finance the plant that produces about 100 million sterile flies per week.

Researchers at the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas, are working on a new genetically modified fly, called NovoFly, which is designed to produce only males. Once the male offspring are sterilized, they could be released to mate with wild female screwworm flies, which then lay unfertilized eggs.

Next Steps

The outdoor testing is critical to determining the potential effectiveness of the NovoFly. Scientists do not know whether it will have the strength and virility to fly far enough to find and attract wild mates. If NovoFly performs well in trials, it would take time to scale up production, according to the USDA.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.