The Trump administration says it is closely monitoring a fast-moving outbreak of the New World screwworm fly, a flesh-eating parasite that has spread through Central America into Mexico and is drawing heightened concern as cases move closer to the U.S.-Mexico
The warning came with urgency—and with a timeline that is getting shorter.
The Trump administration is alerting U.S. agriculture officials as the New World screwworm fly, a flesh-eating parasite, pushes northward through Central America into Mexico. The administration says it is watching the outbreak closely and coordinating with state and federal partners to keep the pest from entering the country. even as concern rises from detections within a few hundred miles of Texas.
The New World screwworm fly has not been found in the United States in confirmed infestations so far. But its spread into Mexico has brought the threat uncomfortably near the southern border. Federal officials say thousands of animal infections have been reported in Mexico. and the situation is now moving in the direction of the U.S.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the administration is taking steps to stay ahead of it. On X. Rollins said she “just held a virtual [New World screwworm fly] briefing call with over 700 attendees from media to stakeholders to elected officials. to deliver a full update on the flesh-eating New World Screwworm pest as it nears our southern border — a threat that could potentially devastate American agriculture. livestock and wildlife.”.
Rollins added: “In the Trump Administration, transparency is non-negotiable. We’re keeping the public updated in real time, shutting down rumors and laying down the facts on exactly what we and our state partners are doing to protect American agriculture.”
Even as Rollins reassured the country that there are no confirmed infestations in the United States, Texas Rep. Don McLaughlin issued a stark warning of his own, claiming the pest had been detected within one mile of the Texas border.
That tension—between the administration’s assurance and a lawmaker’s claim—has sharpened attention on how close the outbreak may be to reaching U.S. soil.
The threat itself is the reason officials are moving so quickly. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae hatch in open wounds and feed on living tissue. That can cause severe injuries and sometimes death if untreated. Unlike common maggots that feed on dead tissue. screwworm larvae attack healthy flesh. making the pest especially damaging to livestock and wildlife.
The stakes extend beyond animal health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says eradication of the parasite from the United States saves the livestock industry an estimated $900 million annually. That number helps explain why federal and state agencies are focused on prevention rather than waiting for a situation to worsen.
Federal officials say the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are tracking the parasite’s northward movement through surveillance programs and ongoing coordination with Mexican authorities.
To stop the spread, agencies are deploying sterile male flies as a biological control strategy designed to disrupt reproduction. When female screwworm flies mate with sterile males, they produce no viable offspring, which gradually reduces the pest population.
Officials are also restricting livestock imports from affected regions. They have warned that infected livestock, wildlife, and pets could carry larvae into new areas, increasing the risk of spread into the United States.
The background adds to the urgency: the United States eradicated the New World screwworm fly in the 1960s. but the parasite resurfaced in Panama and Costa Rica in 2023 before spreading northward through Central America. Now, with cases moving closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. agriculture officials are trying to keep a problem once cleared from decades ago from taking hold again.
Trump administration Brooke Rollins New World screwworm fly flesh-eating parasite U.S.-Mexico border USDA CDC sterile male flies agriculture warning Texas
Flesh-eating what now?? How close is close like 5 miles or what.
So is this like mosquitos or more like a parasite thing with animals? I saw a headline and now I’m worried about my dog even though it says no confirmed in the US.
They said thousands of animal infections in Mexico and somehow it’s “transparent” but also “warning” the whole time. If it’s coming north, won’t they just ban shipping or something? Also why is this on X, shouldn’t they be doing regular press conferences.
I don’t trust “no confirmed infestations” like that means anything. Remember when they said stuff before about other pests? If it’s a few hundred miles from Texas then it’s basically already there, just not “confirmed” yet. I guess we’ll see on the next call with 700 people lol.