HOUSTON – Governor Greg Abbott has elevated Texas’ response to the New World Screwworm threat to a Level 2 activation, directing the full use of state resources as officials work to contain the flesh-eating parasite.
The move comes as the number of confirmed cases in Texas has grown to four across three counties.
State officials say the New World screwworm poses a significant threat to livestock, wildlife, pets and the state’s agricultural economy. While human infections are considered rare, health experts say Texans should still be aware of the risks.
Can people get New World screwworm?
According to Memorial Hermann infectious disease specialist Dr. Linda Yancey, human infections are uncommon but possible if flies lay eggs in or near a wound.
“These are very creative little parasites. If it lays an egg near an eye, it will tunnel into the eye. It can cause blindness in some cases. Newborn babies have the umbilical stump. Both of the cattle this was detected in were newborns, and they were infected at their umbilical stump. So, you don’t have to have a huge open wound to be at risk for this. So, it’s definitely rare,” Yancey said.
No human cases have been reported in Texas.
Will the outbreak affect beef prices?
One question many Texans have is whether the outbreak could affect beef supplies or lead to higher prices at the grocery store.
Texas A&M agriculture economist Dr. David Anderson says consumers should not expect any immediate impact.
“Well, it really shouldn’t affect anything as we think about short term, you know, Fourth of July coming up, the rest of summer. It shouldn’t really affect anything because it doesn’t, that we’ve had these couple of cases really doesn’t affect our current beef production. So, you know, we shouldn’t really notice really any change from that. You know, long term, if you’re thinking over, you know, if we had a sustained long-term outbreak that we just couldn’t control very well, you know, it would lead to much higher production costs by ranchers, which would lead to fewer cattle and less beef production,” Anderson said.
Experts say a prolonged outbreak could increase costs for ranchers and potentially impact beef production in the future, but there are currently no concerns about beef availability heading into the summer.
Is beef safe to eat?
Health experts stress that consumers do not need to worry about contracting New World screwworm from beef purchased at a grocery store.
“So this really is a disease of flies. It’s the adult flies laying eggs on you, or more likely cattle, that causes the disease. Now, certainly, the food industry wants very clean processing, so they are gonna ban any meat that might be affected by the screw worm, but that’s not how you acquire the disease,” Yancey said.
Officials say the parasite is spread by flies laying eggs in wounds and is not transmitted through properly processed beef products.
International impact already being felt
The outbreak is already having consequences beyond Texas.
Canada has temporarily suspended imports of livestock originating from Texas following the discovery of New World screwworm cases in the state. The restriction applies to live animals and is intended to prevent the parasite from spreading across international borders.
State officials continue urging ranchers, veterinarians, pet owners and wildlife managers to monitor animals closely for wounds and report any suspected cases immediately.
As Texas works to contain the outbreak, experts say public awareness and early detection will be critical in preventing additional cases.