New World Screwworm Parasite Detected in South Texas Cattle, USDA Confirms
Two confirmed cases of the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasitic fly once eradicated from the United States, have been detected in South Texas cattle. The parasite, which feeds on living tissue of warm-blooded animals, was previously eliminated from the U.S. decades ago through sterile fly release programs. The reemergence raises concerns about potential spread through livestock populations, though officials say the food supply and human health risk remain low.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed Sunday that two cases of the New World screwworm have been detected in South Texas cattle, marking a concerning reemergence of a parasite long considered eradicated from the United States. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds if untreated. Officials are deploying approximately 10 million sterile flies per week in Texas as the primary containment strategy, a method historically used to eradicate the pest. Rollins stated that affected animals are expected to recover and that the food supply will not be impacted. The risk to humans is described as historically low, though the USDA is urging ranchers to report any suspected cases promptly to enable rapid response. Officials are also working to push the parasite's presence back south of the U.S.-Mexico border through coordinated eradication efforts.
What's missing
The New World screwworm was originally eradicated from the U.S. in 1966 through a decades-long sterile insect technique program, and periodic reemergence threats have occurred before without being tied to immigration policy. Independent scientific assessment of whether border policy specifically contributed to this outbreak is absent from the available coverage.
How coverage differed
The sole available source, Fox News, framed the outbreak heavily around immigration and Biden-era border policies, with Agriculture Secretary Rollins explicitly blaming prior administration inaction and cartel-linked cattle movement. A more neutral or left-leaning source would likely have focused on the agricultural and public health dimensions without the political attribution.
What different sources said
- Fox NewsRight
Rollins warns ranchers face 'really scary time' as flesh-eating screwworm resurfaces in Texas cattle
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