Deadly flesh-eating screwworm found infecting person in US for first time in years
Human case of flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite found in the US
- A human case of the potentially deadly flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite has been detected in the US for the first time in years.
- The patient, from Maryland, was diagnosed with the infestation after returning from El Salvador.
- This marks the first travel-associated human case of the parasite identified in the US from an outbreak-affected country.
- While eradicated from North America decades ago, the parasite has seen a significant surge in South and Central American countries, spreading northwards.
- The US is taking steps to combat its spread, including suspending livestock imports and constructing a sterile fly production facility in Texas to protect agriculture and food security.