Updated
Updated · Texas A&M Today · Jun 15
Texas A&M Deploys 12-Member Vet Team for New World Screwworm Outbreak After 8 Cases
Updated
Updated · Texas A&M Today · Jun 15

Texas A&M Deploys 12-Member Vet Team for New World Screwworm Outbreak After 8 Cases

3 articles · Updated · Texas A&M Today · Jun 15

Summary

  • Texas A&M sent an initial 12 faculty and staff members to the Hill Country to help state officials inspect animals, provide treatment and collect samples in screwworm investigation zones.
  • The deployment follows a June 3 confirmed case in a calf — Texas' first since 2023 spread was observed — and at least seven more cases in Texas and New Mexico, including a dog and a goat.
  • At least 10 Texas counties have imposed animal movement restrictions inside an established screwworm infested zone, and county disaster declarations have been issued.
  • Officials are urging livestock producers and pet owners to check animals daily because the parasite can also affect wildlife and, rarely, people, making early detection and veterinary care critical.

Insights

As a flesh-eating parasite threatens the cattle industry, are we facing a new era of record-high beef prices?
A collapsed barrier unleashed this plague. How vulnerable are we to the next major biological threat?
We eradicated this pest once. Can our current strategy defeat a comeback supercharged by a warming climate?