Do Texans need to worry about the flesh-eating screwworm? Here’s what to know
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the U.S. was well prepared to respond to the case of New World screwworm that was detected in La Pryor on Wednesday.
Rollins spoke during a press conference Thursday and outlined the steps the U.S. was taking to prevent the New World screwworm from spreading throughout the U.S.
New World screwworm is a fly that burrows into the tissue or flesh of warm-blooded animals, and, in rare cases, people. Infected flies are attracted to, and lay eggs in, open wounds. The flies can also lay eggs in “body cavities with mucus membranes, such as the nose, ears, eyes, or mouth,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If left untreated, infections can be fatal.
“There is no reason to believe that this incursion will result in any sort of establishment of the pest,” Rollins said.
Officials also emphasized that the New World screwworm poses no threat to the food supply system.
“The risk of human infestation remains low in the United States, and would only be localized in those areas where there are non-sterile flies,” said Dr. Paul Cantey with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The fly doesn’t fly long distances on its own, so it’s unlikely to move throughout the U.S., Rollins said. Instead, the fly travels via infested livestock and animals, which is why it’s critical that Americans report any suspected cases of screwworm in livestock or animals immediately.
“These flies do not fly to new areas on their own,” Rollins said.
The way to eliminate New World screwworm, Rollins said, is through what’s known as the sterile insect technique. Using this method, the government breeds sterile, non-infected male flies. These flies are then released into the environment, and when female flies mate with the sterile flies, it stops the life cycle of infected flies.
“Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce,” according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The government is releasing 2 million sterile flies twice a week
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 4:09 PM.
