In an emailed statement, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson Andrew Nixon said, “This is the first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm myiasis (parasitic infestation of fly larvae) from an outbreak-affected country identified in the United States.”
Reuters previously reported that beef industry sources stated that the CDC identified a case of New World screwworm in a Maryland resident who had travelled to the US from Guatemala.In a May statement announcing the suspension of animal imports at the southern border, the United States Department of Agriculture stated that when these maggots “burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal, which can include humans, in rare cases,” according to Axios.
As per the CDC, “Myiasis is a parasitic infestation of fly larvae (maggots) in human tissue.”
On the other hand, New World screwworm (NWS) is a “species of parasitic flies that can cause myiasis and feed on live tissue,” and it “primarily affects livestock, but it can also infest people.”
Andrew Nixon did not address the disparity in the source of the human case. He said that the risk to public health in the country from this introduction is considered “very low”. Additionally, it hasn’t confirmed any cases in animals this year.
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About Screwworms
Screwworms are parasitic flies that lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals. Larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through flesh, potentially killing the host if untreated. It can infect livestock, pets, wildlife, birds, and, in rare circumstances, humans; yet, an infestation in either animal or person can be fatal.
The treatment is time-consuming, requiring the removal of hundreds of larvae as well as comprehensive wound disinfection. However, infestations are usually treatable if caught early enough.
According to the Beef Alliance executive’s emails, no additional information about the positive human case of screwworm was accessible due to patient privacy restrictions. The person was treated, and the state established prevention measures, according to the email.
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“We remain hopeful that, since awareness is currently limited to industry representatives and state veterinarians, the likelihood of a positive case being leaked is low, minimising market impact,” according to the beef industry executive.
Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s, when researchers began releasing large numbers of sterile male screwworm flies, which mate with wild female screwworms and create infertile eggs.
