The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first travel-associated case of a human screwworm infection in Maryland, which is linked to an ongoing outbreak in Central America. Health officials have stated that the risk to U.S. public health is very low. Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the patient had recently returned from a trip to El Salvador, a country experiencing a screwworm outbreak. The CDC worked with the Maryland Department of Health to investigate the case, confirming the diagnosis on August 4 after experts reviewed larvae images.
New World screwworm, also known as myiasis, is a parasitic infestation of fly larvae that feeds on live flesh, according to the CDC. Infections occur when female flies lay eggs on or near a person’s wound, nose, or ears. The larvae can also be transferred through ticks and mosquitoes after the fly attaches its eggs to the insects. If left untreated, myiasis can be fatal, as the larvae grow and consume flesh within the person’s tissues. The CDC notes that most cases of myiasis in the United States are due to travel to tropical areas where the infestation is more common.
While livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats are highly vulnerable to myiasis, making it a significant economic pest, there have been no confirmed animal cases this year. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a plan to build a sterile fly facility in Texas to combat the pest, which could cost the state’s economy an estimated $1.8 billion if an outbreak occurs in Texas due to livestock deaths, labor costs, and medication expenses. The discrepancy in reports regarding the origin of the case has not been confirmed, and Fox News Digital reached out to USDA for further comment.