EATEN ALIVE

Parasite That Feasts on Living Flesh Found in the U.S.

It can also spread to humans, although cases are rare.

A parasite, called the New World screwworm fly, has now crossed the Mexican border and embedded itself in Texas. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the flesh-eating parasitic fly had been found in La Pryor, around 30 miles north of the Mexican border. The fly eats cattle alive, and cases have been slowly moving north through Mexico. It is the first U.S. case since 1966, and Reuters reports that if it spreads further, it could cost the state’s cattle industry around $1.8 billion. Locals are not impressed, blaming the USDA for letting it reach Texas. “Instead of using every available tool, USDA moved too slowly and relied ⁠solely on a partial solution that takes years to fully implement,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told Reuters. Eggs are laid in open wounds, and after hatching, larvae burrow into animals’ flesh, killing them if not treated. Cases are linked to the movement of livestock, and the USDA said it has halted cattle movement within a 12.4-mile radius around the outbreak. It can spread to humans but cases are rare.