The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed two more cases of New World screwworm (NWS) this morning (6/8) in Texas — one in a calf in La Salle County and the other in a dog in Andrews County.
Epidemiological investigations are ongoing for both cases. A veterinarian in Andrews County submitted the samples from the infested dog. Details on this case will be shared as they are available, but early reports indicate the dog was recently in Mexico.
For each new case, APHIS and the Texas Animal Health Commission establish and maintain a 12.4-mile infested zone around the location with quarantines, movement controls and heightened surveillance. Stop movement orders will not impact cattle movements or operations outside these zones.
USDA continues to release sterile flies over and just outside the infested areas. To ensure sterile fly release operations can be deployed to affected areas in Texas and northern Mexico near the border as quickly and efficiently as possible, USDA has activated the sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, TX. Sterile pupae arrived at the facility Friday and aerial dispersal flights originating from the base will begin tomorrow.
Since it is important to continue ongoing surveillance efforts while releasing sterile insects, it is possible that sterile NWS flies could be caught and/or reported. To ensure officials can tell the difference between sterile and wild NWS flies, USDA dyes the sterile pupae, which transfers to the flies when they hatch. The fluorescent green or orange dye glows under UV light and also may be visible to the naked eye. If a sterile fly is captured in a trap, this dye allows animal health officials to quickly rule the fly out as a threat.
NWS infests livestock and other warm-blooded animals, most often through open wounds, and feeds on living flesh. Producers should familiarize themselves with the signs of infestation and be vigilant in monitoring livestock. If an infestation is suspected, call a local veterinarian. For more information on NWS, go to www.bqa.org/screwworm.