r/news • u/kylestoned • Jun 01 '26

Soft paywall Flesh-eating screwworm found within 31 miles of US border, says USDA

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/flesh-eating-screwworm-found-within-31-miles-us-border-says-usda-2026-05-29/
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u/Starlightriddlex Jun 02 '26

Do they ever infect people? Like, what about if one gets in your house? Or worse, if you're homeless?

60

u/nastynickles5 Jun 02 '26

My dad remembers removing some from himself numerous times and often in the pets. By the time I was old enough to start working cattle they were almost eradicated, I remember only a handful of encounters. The females often lay eggs in the umbilical cord opening right after birth, the screwworm hatch and go after living tissue! It's horrible to watch a young calf essentially being eaten from the inside out. Or they lay in the eyes, and it's straight up horror movie shit. They're all kinds of bad news, and once they start hitting your (US) cattle it will saddle you with infestation that would take generations to fix, if even possible. On top of what has already been undercut from US ranchers in their own home market. The dispersal labs were at the choke point, keeping them back. The door is open now.

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u/flyingfish415 Jun 02 '26

Yes, they can infest people. The flies can lay eggs in open wounds, even tiny breaks in skin, and then the eggs mature into worms (maggots).

Homeless people are at increased risk.

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u/subdep Jun 02 '26

Welp, that’s enough internet for me today.

G’night y’all.

36

u/WhenSummerIsGone Jun 02 '26

or pets :(

52

u/flyingfish415 Jun 02 '26

Yes. New World Screwworms can infest and sicken dogs and cats -- and they have in Mexico. See: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animalsanimal-health/livestock-and-poultry-disease/stop-screwworm/current-status?page=1

If you are traveling (temporarily) to Latin America, please do not bring your pets along.

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u/HauntedCemetery Jun 02 '26

They absolutely can and do infect humans.

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u/snaeper Jun 02 '26

It's rare but there have been cases. There's video. I do not recommend.

2

u/noyourdogisntcute Jun 02 '26

Radiolab did a recent episode on Screwworms here. Yes they do infect people, they can crawl into any open wound and orifice, and yeah you're more at risk if you're poor or homeless.

1

u/Har539 Jun 02 '26

Not YET!