The USDA Has Intensified Prevention Efforts After a New Screwworm Case Was Confirmed near Texas
A flesh-eating parasite once eradicated from the United States has been detected just 25 miles from the Texas border, marking the closest confirmed case since federal officials began tracking its return in 2024.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed this week that a new case of the New World Screwworm was identified in northern Mexico, renewing concerns about a pest that devastated livestock populations before being wiped out decades ago.
The parasite infects animals by laying eggs in open wounds. After hatching, the larvae feed on living tissue, causing painful injuries that can become severe or even deadly if untreated. While cattle are most commonly affected, horses, wildlife, pets and even humans can be infested.
“There is no doubt that this is a very, very serious threat to our livestock,” Rollins said.
Alarm, Frustration and a Growing Sense of Urgency
The announcement came after State Rep. Don McLaughlin of Uvalde warned that the parasite was only one mile from Texas and called for an emergency state response modeled after Operation Lone Star.
Rollins disputed that claim, saying the nearest confirmed case remains 25 miles from the border.
“When that false information gets out, it causes significant panic,” Rollins said. “And rightly so, especially if it’s coming from elected officials and the media.”
McLaughlin said Texas cannot afford to wait until the screwworm crosses into the state, arguing that ranchers have spent more than a year warning that federal efforts were not moving quickly enough.
“For more than a year, I have joined Texas ranchers in sounding the alarm while federal regulators have moved at a snail’s pace,” McLaughlin said. “Today, the threat is no longer hundreds of miles away. It is at our doorstep.”
Why Texas Ranchers Are Concerned
The New World Screwworm was eliminated from the United States through a decades-long sterile fly program. But outbreaks reappeared south of the U.S. border in recent years and gradually moved north through Central America and Mexico.
The concern is especially significant in Texas, which leads the nation in cattle production and generates roughly $15 billion annually from the industry.
If the parasite reaches Texas herds, experts warn it could cause serious economic losses and animal health problems. Infested animals often suffer severe wounds, infections, weight loss and, in some cases, death.
Mexican authorities have reported nearly 1,900 active animal cases and almost 27,000 total cases since November 2024.
Federal Teams Move Into South Texas
Federal officials say they are taking aggressive steps to keep the parasite from crossing into the United States.
According to the USDA, a specialized incident management team has been deployed to South Texas to work alongside the Texas Animal Health Commission and local partners.
The federal government has invested roughly $100 million in research, surveillance, traps and border monitoring. Imports of live cattle, horses and bison from Mexico have also been suspended.
Officials continue releasing sterile male flies, a strategy credited with eliminating the screwworm from the United States decades ago. The sterile males mate with female flies, preventing future generations from developing.
For now, the parasite remains outside Texas. But with the closest confirmed case now just 25 miles from the border, state and federal officials are racing to keep it that way.
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