Flesh-eating ‘man-eater’ maggots may soon become a menace in this US town: Here's how authorities plan to stop them

The USDA launched a bold plan to halt the spread of deadly ‘man-eater’ maggots as a potential infestation threatens livestock and human health.

A bizarre and terrifying biological threat is creeping closer to the United States’ borders: flesh-eating or ‘man-eaters’ maggots, which could soon invade a Texas town near the southern border. In response, the federal authorities are racing to contain what could become a $100 billion disaster for livestock, wildlife, and even humans.

The New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) are also called 'flesh-eating' maggots since their larvae feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. (Representative image/Unsplash)

Deadly ‘man-eater’ maggots threaten Texas

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a serious threat to the US beef industry, as its larvae feed on living flesh. If not controlled, just one infected cow can perish within two weeks. The epicentre of the fightback? Edinburg, Texas, is home to the USDA’s newly opened maggot-fighting facility.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed that the dangerous larvae have been spotted in Central America and Mexico, according to a USA Today report. This has raised alarms about a possible northern spread into US territory. To prevent a full-blown infestation, officials are unleashing an unusual defense: billions of sterile flies.

The US government, in a press statement dated July 10, said it has partnered with international and domestic agencies to eliminate the screwworm threat before it crosses the border.

Here’s how the USDA plans to fight back:

On June 18, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the establishment of an $8.5 million dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. The site will serve as the frontline in the war against screwworms, another People report stated.

Mass-breeding sterile male flies: A new $21 million production unit in Metapa, Mexico, will be raising 60-100 million sterile male flies, according to People. These flies will be sterilized using radiation, then mate with wild females, resulting in no viable offspring.

Support from Panama: The COPEG facility from Panama, it stated, has already produced 100 million sterile flies per week and would continue bolstering this effort.

Moreover, the first wave of sterile flies is expected to be released along the Texas-Mexico border within 18 months. The USDA and APHIS, the report added, will also ramp up border inspections, livestock monitoring, and public awareness.

Lastly, agencies like the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the US Department of State are part of the coordination effort

Secretary Rollins was further quoted by People, sharing that the US does not take lightly the threat NWS poses to their livestock industry, the economy, and their food supply chain. Rollins added, “The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again.”

Meanwhile, Dr Michael Bailey of the American Veterinary Medical Association echoed the urgency, stating that the NWS can kill a 1000-pound cow in two weeks and assured the federal government was being very aggressive in working to contain the threat.

FAQs

Q: What are ‘man-eater’ maggots?
These are the larvae of the New World screwworm fly, which feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals and sometimes humans.

Q: Where is the threat currently located?
Cases have been reported in Central America and Mexico, with US officials working to prevent the spread into Texas.

Q: How is the US preventing the spread?
Through mass release of sterile male flies, increased surveillance, and new facilities in Texas and Mexico.