WORMING IN

Flesh-Eating Parasite Outbreak Takes Grim Turn

The vile disease involves parasitic flies whose larvae feed on living tissue.

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Authorities have discovered a horrifying flesh-eating parasite in a wild animal for the first time after identifying an infected elk in Texas. The animal was killed by a hunter at a game ranch in Pecos County, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae devour living flesh after its eggs hatch. Livestock are particularly vulnerable, although humans can also become infected. The grim discovery has prompted federal and state officials to expand wildlife surveillance in the area. Hunters have been warned to look for maggots crawling inside injuries, foul odors, and animals displaying signs of illness. Wounds that grow larger, especially near body openings, are another possible sign. In June, authorities identified the parasite in livestock—a three-week-old Texas calf. Authorities also confirmed a human infection in the U.S. last year, though the patient recovered and investigators found no further spread. The USDA maintains the pest does not pose food-safety risks but could threaten to disrupt meat production.