New World screwworm spreads to Texas wildlife, raising outbreak concerns

Federal and Texas officials confirmed Wednesday the first known case of the New World screwworm parasite in U.S. wildlife during the current outbreak.Why it matters: The discovery raises new questions about whether the flesh-eating parasite is spreading beyond livestock.Cattle were infected by the screwworm earlier this year in Texas and New Mexico, prompting an extensive federal response to contain its spread. The detection in a wild animal adds another challenge for officials trying to determine how widely the parasite has spread.Driving the news: The parasite was detected in a female elk in Pecos County, Texas, according to statements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).Officials urged hunters, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts to check for signs of infestation in wildlife, including visible larvae, open wounds and animals exhibiting unusual weakness or distress and to report anything suspicious to local wildlife biologists. Screenshot: Texas Parks & Wildlife/XFlashback: New World screwworm was previously detected in deer in the Florida Keys in 2016, during an outbreak that was eradicated the following year.The big picture: Ne…

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