Federal agriculture officials have verified a second instance of the dangerous screwworm parasite in Texas on Friday, discovered just miles away from the initial case that marked the first U.S. detection in decades.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the parasite was found in Zavala County at a cattle operation located 5.6 miles from where the original case was identified on Wednesday.
News outlets had reported the second confirmation earlier Friday through industry sources before the USDA officially announced the infection involved a one-month-old calf.
During a Friday press briefing, Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer, associate administrator for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, had initially stated that only one affected animal had been found.
This latest discovery comes after the original identification occurred near La Pryor, a community located approximately 30 miles northeast of the Mexican border. The development represents a concerning turn for cattle producers who have been bracing for the parasite’s potential arrival as it has spread northward through Mexico during the past year.
The screwworm consists of parasitic flies that lay eggs within open wounds or mucous membranes of animals with warm blood. Once the eggs develop into larvae, they burrow into living tissue where they consume the host, potentially resulting in death without proper treatment.
