|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
WASHINGTON — The United States has confirmed its first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm, a parasitic infestation rarely seen in humans. The case was identified in a Maryland resident who had recently returned from El Salvador, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The diagnosis was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 4, following an investigation in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health. Screwworms are parasitic flies whose larvae feed on living tissue, typically entering through wounds. If left untreated, infestations can be fatal.
Officials emphasized that the risk to public health in the U.S. remains low, and no animal cases have been reported this year. The confirmation comes amid heightened concern in the livestock industry, as screwworm outbreaks have been moving northward from Central America and southern Mexico.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced plans to build a sterile fly facility in Texas to help prevent future infestations, with economic losses from a potential outbreak estimated at $1.8 billion in the cattle sector.
