TN Takes Precautions for Flesh Eating Pest
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TN Takes Precautions for Flesh Eating Pest
By Shane Gilreath
SCN Contributing Editor
[email protected]
Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that a New World screwworm fly was found in the United States, despite a belief that the pest was eradicated from the country decades ago. As a result, Tennessee agriculture officials are taking preventative steps to protect livestock, pets, and wildlife after the fleshing eating parasite was found in a calf in Zavala County, Texas, roughly 50 miles from the Mexican border.
According to the USDA, the New World screwworm is a destructive parasite whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. Infestations can cause severe injury and, in some cases, death. While the pest is still present in parts of South America, officials are working to prevent its spread within the United States.
Although no cases have been reported in the state, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has implemented stricter requirements for warm-blooded animals entering the state from infested areas and is enhancing surveillance and response planning.
Officials are encouraging farmers, wildlife managers, and animal owners to regularly inspect animals for unusual wounds or signs of infestation, particularly around injuries, tick bites, and ear-tagging sites. They also recommend limiting the movement of animals that may have been exposed in affected regions.
State officials emphasize that early detection remains the best defense against the parasite and are expanding education and outreach efforts to help prevent the pest from becoming established in Tennessee. While the New World screwworm can infect humans, those cases are much less common than infections in livestock and wildlife.
The danger comes from the fly’s larvae (maggots), which do not feed on dead tissue like many other maggots. Instead, they feed on living flesh. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds, surgical incisions, insect bites, or even natural body openings such as the nose or ears. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into healthy tissue, causing a condition called myiasis. Without treatment, the infestation can cause extensive tissue damage. However, modern medical care can usually treat the condition effectively by removing the larvae and treating any associated infection.
For those in Tennessee, the risk is still considered very low.
