First Human Case of New World Screwworm Reported in the US

On 24th August 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the first human case of the flesh-eating parasite ‘New World screwworm’ in the country.

What is the New World Screwworm?

  • A blue-grey blowfly species found in South America and the Caribbean.
  • The parasite, known scientifically as Cochliomyia hominivorax, translates to “man-eater” due to its tissue-burrowing nature.
  • Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or cavities of warm-blooded animals and rarely humans.
  • Each female can lay up to 3,000 eggs in her lifespan, with larvae feeding aggressively on living flesh.
  • The name comes from the screwlike motion of larvae as they burrow ....
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Ecology & Environment