Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the creation of a new task force to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm, an invasive livestock parasitic fly. The dangerous pest infests warm-blooded animals, including human beings, by laying its eggs in the living tissue of fresh wounds. This infestation causes a condition known as myiasis, in which maggots burrow into the flesh. It causes severe wounds and often death if left untreated, according to researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
The governor’s creation of the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team, will be a joint effort of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife. The move comes in response to the recent northward spread of the dangerous pest from Central America into southern Mexico.
As Gov. Abbott spelled out in his letter to both state agencies, “Texas played a critical role in eradicating this pest from the United States in the 1960s, and will do so again if the need arises.”
As Texas Public Radio reports, the response team will be responsible for the coordination of public outreach, training and response efforts in case the parasite crosses into Texas. The governor’s letter explained that such a reestablishment of NWS “could result in severe economic losses and ecological disruption. At the TAHC, the staff has been preparing for this scenario in the past year, according to Dr. Bud Dinges. He explained that the team will bolster efforts to “protect our land, livestock, and wildlife.”
