ZAVALA COUNTY, Texas — Federal and state agriculture officials are responding after a New World screwworm infestation was confirmed in Texas for the first time in six decades, raising concerns about potential impacts on livestock and wildlife.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday that a young calf in Zavala County, southwest of San Antonio, tested positive for the flesh-eating parasite. Officials said this is the only confirmed case in Texas and the first detection in the state since 1966.
New World screwworm larvae can infest warm-blooded animals through open wounds, where the maggots feed on living tissue. The parasite primarily threatens cattle and other livestock but can also affect pets, wildlife, birds, and, in rare cases, humans.
The USDA emphasized that the nation’s food supply remains safe because screwworm larvae do not contaminate meat or other food products. Federal officials said they are working with Texas authorities on surveillance, trapping, and containment efforts designed to prevent the parasite from spreading.
The United States previously eradicated screwworm infestations through a sterile insect technique that involved releasing sterilized male flies to disrupt reproduction. USDA officials said similar strategies will be deployed again as part of the response.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller criticized the federal response, arguing that existing efforts failed to stop the parasite’s northward movement from Central America and Mexico. Miller called on President Donald Trump to take direct control of the response and authorize broader use of the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a technology developed by USDA researchers.
Federal and state agencies continue monitoring the situation as efforts intensify to prevent a wider outbreak that could affect the livestock industry.
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