U.S. confirms nation’s first travel-associated human screwworm case

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported the first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, in the United States. The case involved a patient who had recently returned from travel to El Salvador.

Key details of the New World screwworm:

• Confirmation: The case was confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 4, following an investigation with the Maryland Department of Health.
• The Parasite: Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in open wounds of any warm-blooded animal.
• Infestation Mechanism:
  • Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of larvae burrow into the living flesh using their sharp mouths.
  • This feeding action, which resembles a screw being driven into wood, gives the pests their name.
  • If left untreated, the infestation can eventually kill the host.
• Impact and Treatment:
  • While screwworms can be devastating for livestock and wildlife, they rarely infest humans. However, an infestation in either can be fatal if not treated promptly.
  • Treatment is labor-intensive and involves the removal of hundreds of larvae, followed by thorough disinfection of the wounds.
  • Infestations are typically survivable if treated early.
• Economic Threat: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has estimated that a screwworm outbreak could cost the economy of Texas, the largest U.S. cattle-producing state, about $1.8 billion in livestock deaths, labor costs, and medication expenses.

(Source: AIR)