Unlike most other maggots, these maggots attack and consume healthy living tissue along with decaying tissue (hominivorax literally translates to "man-eating")
The "primary" screwworm, which can pierce skin, causes most livestock damage and is the focus of the eradication effort. Versus
The secondary screwworm, C. macellaria, is a flesh-eating fly whose larvae consume only necrotic tissue, either that of carrion or of an animal or human host (myiasis). This important distinction between C. macellaria and C. hominivorax was not understood for much of medical history; myiasis of humans and animals was viewed as universally disastrous. However, as medical understanding of the process of tissue breakdown and infection progressed, it was observed that wounds with specific types of maggot infestation actually had a decreased severity and duration of infection. This progressed to the point where C. macellaria larvae were being applied in some cases as surgical maggots. However, the negative connotation surrounding the word “screwworm” has persisted, and the largely harmless secondary screwworms are often blamed for myiasitic attacks for which primary screwworms are actually responsible.
As often, success of an eradication program depends on staying the course.
It's unsurprising to see the current administration blame the problem on the Biden administration. We don't know why screwworm made a resurgence. But scientists have suggested that supply chain disruptions in producing sterile flies during COVID are to blame.
It's not impossible some government screwed up veterinary border checks at some point, but in all honesty unless someone finds direct proof I'm treating this as grade A bullsh*t.
(And if it got screwed up, I'd say it's much more likely to have been an accidental result of misguided austerity measures like DOGE.)
> The Department of Government Efficiency cut approximately 15,000 USDA jobs and terminated thousands of USAID programs, including a screwworm monitoring project.
"The exact cause of this breach is unclear but is most likely due to multiple factors, including interruptions in sterile fly production due to the COVID-19 pandemic and illegal cattle imports, as well as the challenges involved in surveillance of the (Darien) gap’s difficult geography."
There's currently only one plant in Panama running the sterile fly program, but both Mexico and the US are opening new plants to handle the issue.
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture is constructing a new $750 million facility nearby to breed sterile flies, though U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it won’t be completed until late 2027. In the meantime, the agency is investing $21 million to transform a fruit fly breeding center in far southern Mexico into a screwworm fly production site, with operations set to begin this summer."
Much better source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-co...
A better source ? Looks like a borderline political ad. But it does have some good info.
It seems that everything coming out of the federal government looks like a political ad now. It kind of makes me want to throw up.
And that’s the entire point. Accelerate!
Yeah, it's a better source if you enjoy government propaganda.
Compare the two. Both say there's a working response plan in place (SWASS).
One says it is working great. The others says it was started way too late, and it is still blocked by buerocrats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochliomyia
Note this distinction:
Unlike most other maggots, these maggots attack and consume healthy living tissue along with decaying tissue (hominivorax literally translates to "man-eating")
The "primary" screwworm, which can pierce skin, causes most livestock damage and is the focus of the eradication effort. Versus
The secondary screwworm, C. macellaria, is a flesh-eating fly whose larvae consume only necrotic tissue, either that of carrion or of an animal or human host (myiasis). This important distinction between C. macellaria and C. hominivorax was not understood for much of medical history; myiasis of humans and animals was viewed as universally disastrous. However, as medical understanding of the process of tissue breakdown and infection progressed, it was observed that wounds with specific types of maggot infestation actually had a decreased severity and duration of infection. This progressed to the point where C. macellaria larvae were being applied in some cases as surgical maggots. However, the negative connotation surrounding the word “screwworm” has persisted, and the largely harmless secondary screwworms are often blamed for myiasitic attacks for which primary screwworms are actually responsible.
As often, success of an eradication program depends on staying the course.
Stop testing. If you test, the picture is only going to get worse.
At least we don't have to worry about asymptomatic cases :-)
Sounds like beef is about to get very cheap and then very expensive.
apparently it has to be destroyed and can't be sold
For small farmers, yes. For large politically-connected farmers, I'm sure the regime has worked out the price schedule.
Also: Farm bankruptcies are sharply up--I'm sure the big guys will be able to buy up the little guys for cheap.
It's unsurprising to see the current administration blame the problem on the Biden administration. We don't know why screwworm made a resurgence. But scientists have suggested that supply chain disruptions in producing sterile flies during COVID are to blame.
I also thought I read during Trump I, funding for this in southern Mexico was cut by the US.
Didn't you read, it's Bidens open borders!
They should have checked every fly for their immigration status!
It's not impossible some government screwed up veterinary border checks at some point, but in all honesty unless someone finds direct proof I'm treating this as grade A bullsh*t.
(And if it got screwed up, I'd say it's much more likely to have been an accidental result of misguided austerity measures like DOGE.)
"why the hell are we paying to get rid of flies in Mexico? kill it!"
From other new source:
> The Department of Government Efficiency cut approximately 15,000 USDA jobs and terminated thousands of USAID programs, including a screwworm monitoring project.
"The exact cause of this breach is unclear but is most likely due to multiple factors, including interruptions in sterile fly production due to the COVID-19 pandemic and illegal cattle imports, as well as the challenges involved in surveillance of the (Darien) gap’s difficult geography."
https://asm.org/articles/2025/september/new-word-screwworm-r...
There's currently only one plant in Panama running the sterile fly program, but both Mexico and the US are opening new plants to handle the issue.
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture is constructing a new $750 million facility nearby to breed sterile flies, though U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it won’t be completed until late 2027. In the meantime, the agency is investing $21 million to transform a fruit fly breeding center in far southern Mexico into a screwworm fly production site, with operations set to begin this summer."
https://www.statesman.com/news/article/texas-possible-new-wo...
Texas, and the current administration will screw it up....
I'm sure Joe Rogan has a vitamin cure he can suggest like he does for Measles.
Apparently ivermectin actually _does_ help with screw-worm. So if you're stocked up on it for covid purposes, you're in luck! /s
https://screwworm.gov -> https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animals/animal-health/livestock-a...