Credit score: Unsplash/CC0 Public Area
A latest detection of a flesh-eating parasite in southern Mexico has U.S. officers involved that the beforehand eradicated New World Screwworm (NWS) may make its means again into the nation for the primary time for the reason that Sixties.
“As a protective measure, animal health officials ask those along the southern Texas border to monitor wildlife, livestock and pets for clinical signs of NWS and immediately report potential cases,” officers stated within the launch.
The screwworm was eradicated within the U.S. in 1966 and in Mexico in 1991, in line with the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica. The pest can nonetheless be present in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and South America and is constant to unfold again north, in line with the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
Although the pest primarily impacts livestock, officers say people, wildlife and pets can be contaminated.
New World Screwworms
The New World Screwworm are larvae and maggots with ‘sharp mouth hooks’ that latch onto open wounds or dwell tissue on the physique, Texas officers stated. The NWS flies lay eggs within the wounds or areas of uncovered tissue the place the worms later hatch.
If a wound is infested, it may well develop into bigger and trigger harm or dying to an animal, in line with Texas officers.
Screwworm larvae solely feed on residing flesh and by no means on lifeless tissue, the embassy in Costa Rica stated.
“The wounds often contain a dark, foul-smelling discharge,” they stated on their web site.
The an infection is known as NWS myiasis, Texas officers stated. Indicators of an an infection embrace:
Irritated or depressed conduct
Lack of urge for food
Head shaking
Scent of decaying flesh
Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds
Isolation from different animals or individuals
The illness may be transmitted when a fly notices the odor of a wound or “natural opening on a live, warm-bodied animal,” officers stated. The NWS fly, which is about double the dimensions of a typical home fly, then lays as much as 300 eggs at a time within the wound.
Then, the larvae burrow into the opening and latch onto the pores and skin.
Texas officers suggest that every one wounds be lined and bug repellent be utilized when outside.
2024 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.) Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.
Quotation:
Flesh-eating parasite with ‘sharp mouth hooks’ has US on alert for first time since 1966 (2025, January 5)
retrieved 5 January 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-01-flesh-parasite-sharp-mouth.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Aside from any truthful dealing for the aim of personal research or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for info functions solely.
