Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 18
IAEA Launches Project Against Screwworm Threatening Billions in North America
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 18

IAEA Launches Project Against Screwworm Threatening Billions in North America

3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 18

Summary

  • The IAEA said Thursday it is coordinating a new research project to improve detection and control of the New World screwworm as the parasite threatens North American livestock.
  • Growing cases in Texas have added urgency, with the Vienna-based agency warning the outbreak could inflict billions of dollars in damage on U.S. ranchers if containment fails.
  • The agency said the fight needs larger supplies of sterile flies and closer coordination with southern neighbors, underscoring that cross-border cooperation is central to stopping the pest's spread.

Insights

A border-crossing parasite threatens billions in damages. Can international cooperation outpace the effects of a warming climate?
With sterile fly production lagging far behind demand, how vulnerable is America's food supply to this parasite?
A flesh-eating pest is surging north. Is a 70-year-old nuclear technique our best defense against it?