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2h ago

Mexico Confirms 41 Human Screwworm Cases, 1 Death as U.S. Logs Travel-Linked Infection

A coordinated sterile-fly campaign with regional training seeks to contain spread, safeguarding the livestock economy.

El gusano "barrenador" llegó a Estados Unidos. Foto: Shutterstock
En esta foto de enero de 2024, proporcionada por la Comisión Panamá-Estados Unidos para la Erradicación y Prevención del Gusano Barrenador del Ganado (COPEG), un trabajador sostiene dos pequeños recipientes de pupas del gusano barrenador del Nuevo Mundo en una instalación donde se crían machos estériles en Pacora, Panamá. (COPEG vía AP)
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Overview

  • Mexico’s health ministry reports 41 confirmed human myiasis cases tied to Cochliomyia hominivorax, including the first death in an 86-year-old woman from Campeche.
  • Cases in Mexico are concentrated in Chiapas (36) with additional infections in Campeche (3), Yucatán (1) and Tabasco (1), reflecting recent expansion beyond the southern border state.
  • HHS and CDC confirmed the first U.S. human case linked to recent travel to El Salvador, with the patient recovered and no evidence of onward transmission; officials assess public risk as very low.
  • Regional partners through IICA, APHIS/USDA and COPEG have launched joint training and field work in Panama, alongside U.S. plans for a sterile-fly production facility in Texas.
  • Authorities and industry cite significant economic stakes, with reported U.S. import restrictions on live cattle and government estimates warning of potential multibillion-dollar losses if outbreaks spread.