Recently, New World Screwworm (NWS) was officially confirmed in the U.S. after it made its way closer to the border through Mexico. Now that it is in the U.S. cattle herd, we have also seen our first case of NWS in a different mammal- a dog in Andrews County, Texas. This is not a surprise, as NWS is not picky, but it proves that all animal owners need to be cautious of this pest. Dr. Lisa Becton, associate director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), said tracking and monitoring emerging diseases and pests allows for mitigation plans to be made.
Dr. Becton said female NWS flies look for any open wounds on warm-blooded mammals to lay their eggs in.
The frequent transportation of livestock across the country means that even producers in Iowa need to be vigilant for symptoms of an NWS infection. Dr. Becton said SHIC offers regular disease monitoring out of Iowa State University, which provides livestock producers with a detailed tool to track NWS movement.
Dr. Becton said they also offer monthly reports and summaries that producers can sign up to receive.
As a reminder, NWS causes an infestation, not a disease. There is still no risk to the food supply. For more information, visit swinehealth.org.
