US Confirms First Human Case of Flesh-Eating Parasite

US Confirms First Human Case of Flesh-Eating Parasite
——————————-
The U.S. has confirmed its first-ever human case of the New World Screwworm (NWS), a flesh-eating parasite, Anadolu Agency reported. The case was announced by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS), which stated that a patient who had recently traveled to El Salvador was infected. While officials emphasize the risk to the U.S. public is very low, the government is taking measures to prevent the parasite’s spread, as it poses a significant threat to the nation’s livestock and food supply.

The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that burrows into the flesh of living hosts, causing severe and often fatal damage. Although the parasite was largely eradicated in the U.S. decades ago, outbreaks in neighboring countries like Mexico and those in Central America have raised concerns.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned that the NWS is a threat to both the ranching community and national food security. In response, the USDA has announced new measures to block its entry into the country. These measures include establishing a sterile fly production center in Texas, using mounted patrol units to monitor wildlife, and deploying detector dogs to screen imports at ports of entry.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals who have a higher risk of infestation are those who visit outbreak regions, have contact with livestock, sleep outdoors, or have open wounds.