U.S. health authorities have confirmed the country’s first human infection involving the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite. The case was identified on August 4 in Maryland in a patient who had recently traveled from El Salvador. Officials also noted that while the individual has recovered.
New world screwworm reported in USA
Health officials have confirmed the first case of human infestation by the flesh-eating parasite known as the New World screwworm in the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the case was identified on August 4 in a patient who had recently returned to Maryland from El Salvador. According to authorities, the individual has since recovered. Moreover, no evidence of transmission to other people or animals has been detected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collaborated with Maryland health officials during the investigation, confirmed that this is the first U.S. case of travel-related New World screwworm myiasis from an outbreak-affected nation. HHS spokesperson Andrew G. Nixon emphasized that while the finding is significant, the overall risk to public health within the United States remains “very low.”
New World screwworm myiasis occurs when larvae of the screwworm fly invade the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. The CDC explains that female flies deposit between 200 and 300 eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes. Once hatched, the larvae burrow deeper into flesh using sharp mouth hooks. This results in severe tissue damage, and infestations can also lead to bacterial infections. While the condition is “extremely painful” in humans, such cases are rare. Livestock are the primary victims. (via BuzzFeed)
The parasite is native to South America and the Caribbean but has spread steadily northward. There are confirmed cases across all Central American countries as well as Mexico. Individuals with untreated wounds, particularly those living in or traveling through rural regions with livestock, face a higher risk of exposure.
