According to what was stated by the American television network Univisionthe discovery of a case of screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in Texas set off alarms among health authorities and the agricultural sector in the United States this Thursday, June 4, due to the risk that this parasite represents for the cattle.
Given this situation, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned in a statement that the plague can cause serious damage to cattle when depositing eggs in open wounds. “The larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded animals,” said the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Given this situation, APHIS also warned about the speed with which the infestation and explained that “the infestations untreated can cause death of the animal within a period of one to two weeks”, so that the screwworm is considered one of the most serious health threats. serious for livestock.
This is because the plague was eradicated from the US in 196660 years ago, thanks to a program based on the release of sterile insects. However, US authorities have closely monitored its progress through Central America and Mexicowhere several have been registered sprouts in recent years, especially in Guatemala.
Alarms in the livestock sector in Texas
According to the USDA, the presence of the screwworm can cause significant economic losses due to animal deaths, decreased livestock production, and costs associated with veterinary treatments. This is especially relevant because Texas is home to the largest inventory of beef cattle in the US.
According to APHIS data, Texas is home to 12 million of cattle and plays a key role in the national production of beef. In addition, it concentrates a significant part of the ranches of fatten of the country, so any health threat that affects livestock can have repercussions economic.
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Given the circumstances, the authorities maintain security measures monitoring and containment to prevent further spread of the parasite and urged farmers and veterinarians to immediately report any case suspiciousconsidering that the early detection is key to preventing their establishment in the United States.
However, the discovery occurs at a particularly sensitive for the U.S. cattle industry, particularly Texas, which faces the lowest inventory of beef cattle in 75 years and prices record of beef, which has raised the worry for the possible economic consequences in the nation.
Larvae on the border with Mexico
The USDA confirmed that screwworm larvae were detected in a calf in Zavalain the south of Texasvery close to the border with Mexico. Therefore, this is the first case registered in the state since June 1966six decades ago, and, to date, the only one confirmed in US territory.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the detection of the worm occurred after two months of warnings from federal authorities, state officials and livestock organizations about the advance of the pest through Mexico towards the border. Given this, the USDA activated a response plan.