Follow-Up: Two New World Screwworm Cases Confirmed in Doña Ana County, New Mexico; Livestock Board Expands Surveillance and Trapping
Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico — New Mexico animal health officials confirmed on October 27 two cases of New World screwworm in the county: one in a sheep on the New Mexico State University campus in Las Cruces, and one in a cow at an off-campus location. State and federal officials are expanding surveillance and fly-trapping efforts around the affected locations to determine whether the pest has spread beyond the infected animals, and fly traps have been placed on the university campus. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the wounds of living animals; infestations can seriously injure or kill livestock and pose a threat to the ranching industry. Dr. Samantha Holeck, the state veterinarian with the New Mexico Livestock Board, said early detection is critical to containing the screwworm and protecting animal health, and urged the campus community to know the warning signs and report suspicious wounds or infestations promptly. Officials are reminding ranchers and animal owners to check livestock wounds and report abnormalities to the Livestock Board rather than treating suspected cases themselves. Authorities will decide on further control measures based on trapping and inspection results. The information released so far does not state the exact dates the two cases were found or whether any animals beyond the two are infected; the investigation is ongoing.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：新世界螺旋蝇成虫特写（资料图）。Judy Gallagher 摄，CC BY 2.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons / Photo: A New World screwworm fly, close-up (file photo). By Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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