alt.hn

6/4/2026 at 11:18:13 AM

First U.S. screwworm case confirmed in South Texas

 https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/03/new-world-screwworm-texas-reported-case/

by tnorthcutt

6/4/2026 at 1:26:49 PM

Much better source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-co...

by Bluescreenbuddy

6/4/2026 at 4:19:35 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochliomyia

Note this distinction:

Unlike most other maggots, these maggots attack and consume healthy living tissue along with decaying tissue (hominivorax literally translates to "man-eating")

The "primary" screwworm, which can pierce skin, causes most livestock damage and is the focus of the eradication effort. Versus

The secondary screwworm, C. macellaria, is a flesh-eating fly whose larvae consume only necrotic tissue, either that of carrion or of an animal or human host (myiasis). This important distinction between C. macellaria and C. hominivorax was not understood for much of medical history; myiasis of humans and animals was viewed as universally disastrous. However, as medical understanding of the process of tissue breakdown and infection progressed, it was observed that wounds with specific types of maggot infestation actually had a decreased severity and duration of infection. This progressed to the point where C. macellaria larvae were being applied in some cases as surgical maggots. However, the negative connotation surrounding the word “screwworm” has persisted, and the largely harmless secondary screwworms are often blamed for myiasitic attacks for which primary screwworms are actually responsible.

As often, success of an eradication program depends on staying the course.

by RetroTechie

6/4/2026 at 2:32:07 PM

A better source ? Looks like a borderline political ad. But it does have some good info.

by jmclnx

6/4/2026 at 2:40:20 PM

It seems that everything coming out of the federal government looks like a political ad now. It kind of makes me want to throw up.

by amanaplanacanal

6/4/2026 at 3:08:42 PM

And that’s the entire point. Accelerate!

by jondwillis

6/4/2026 at 3:49:46 PM

Compare the two. Both say there's a working response plan in place (SWASS).

One says it is working great. The others says it was started way too late, and it is still blocked by buerocrats.

by rurban

6/4/2026 at 3:35:00 PM

Yeah, it's a better source if you enjoy government propaganda.

by pickleglitch

6/4/2026 at 12:54:04 PM

Stop testing. If you test, the picture is only going to get worse.

by nyeah

6/4/2026 at 1:04:48 PM

At least we don't have to worry about asymptomatic cases :-)

by nDRDY

6/4/2026 at 2:28:05 PM

Sounds like beef is about to get very cheap and then very expensive.

by 1970-01-01

6/4/2026 at 3:32:00 PM

apparently it has to be destroyed and can't be sold

by yawnxyz

6/4/2026 at 3:51:11 PM

For small farmers, yes. For large politically-connected farmers, I'm sure the regime has worked out the price schedule.

by mindslight

6/4/2026 at 6:50:11 PM

Also: Farm bankruptcies are sharply up--I'm sure the big guys will be able to buy up the little guys for cheap.

by nielsbot

6/4/2026 at 12:36:34 PM

It's unsurprising to see the current administration blame the problem on the Biden administration. We don't know why screwworm made a resurgence. But scientists have suggested that supply chain disruptions in producing sterile flies during COVID are to blame.

by bastawhiz

6/4/2026 at 2:39:24 PM

"The exact cause of this breach is unclear but is most likely due to multiple factors, including interruptions in sterile fly production due to the COVID-19 pandemic and illegal cattle imports, as well as the challenges involved in surveillance of the (Darien) gap’s difficult geography."

https://asm.org/articles/2025/september/new-word-screwworm-r...

There's currently only one plant in Panama running the sterile fly program, but both Mexico and the US are opening new plants to handle the issue.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture is constructing a new $750 million facility nearby to breed sterile flies, though U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it won’t be completed until late 2027. In the meantime, the agency is investing $21 million to transform a fruit fly breeding center in far southern Mexico into a screwworm fly production site, with operations set to begin this summer."

https://www.statesman.com/news/article/texas-possible-new-wo...

by ericpp

6/4/2026 at 12:48:46 PM

I also thought I read during Trump I, funding for this in southern Mexico was cut by the US.

by jmclnx

6/4/2026 at 1:24:39 PM

Didn't you read, it's Bidens open borders!

They should have checked every fly for their immigration status!

by happymellon

6/4/2026 at 2:03:04 PM

It's not impossible some government screwed up veterinary border checks at some point, but in all honesty unless someone finds direct proof I'm treating this as grade A bullsh*t.

(And if it got screwed up, I'd say it's much more likely to have been an accidental result of misguided austerity measures like DOGE.)

by eqvinox

6/4/2026 at 2:42:02 PM

From other new source:

> The Department of Government Efficiency cut approximately 15,000 USDA jobs and terminated thousands of USAID programs, including a screwworm monitoring project.

by pixelesque

6/4/2026 at 2:38:44 PM

"why the hell are we paying to get rid of flies in Mexico? kill it!"

by bastawhiz

6/4/2026 at 2:51:30 PM

Texas, and the current administration will screw it up....

by Danox

6/4/2026 at 6:14:19 PM

I'm sure Joe Rogan has a vitamin cure he can suggest like he does for Measles.

by fred_is_fred

6/4/2026 at 8:56:07 PM

Apparently ivermectin actually _does_ help with screw-worm. So if you're stocked up on it for covid purposes, you're in luck! /s

by tedd4u

6/5/2026 at 4:23:41 PM

At this point, I would suspect that those people are giving cows the covid vaccine for screw worm - since you know it's the opposite of what the CDC would say.

by fred_is_fred

6/4/2026 at 1:09:48 PM

[flagged]

by josefritzishere

6/4/2026 at 1:31:14 PM

The Texas Tribune is generally regarded as a reputable news source. Which quote are you referring to?

by neuronexmachina

6/4/2026 at 1:32:54 PM

What? Texas Tribune is excellent; it’s a nonprofit here that does investigative journalism. Are you upset they’re quoting the current administration? I can’t help you there, that’s the times we live in.

by chomp

6/4/2026 at 3:33:08 PM

it would be racist if we started calling it the texas screwworm, but that's kind of redundant

by yawnxyz

6/4/2026 at 4:50:44 PM

A bit like calling the Spanish Flu the Spanish Flu.

by philipallstar

6/4/2026 at 6:18:48 PM

A bit like calling the Spanish Flu the Spanish Flu.

See also: German measles.

At one time, malaria was called "American flu."

by reaperducer

6/4/2026 at 2:53:03 PM

It's an accurate statement, not propaganda. When the borders were open people smuggled in livestock. With border agents overwhelmed by human traffic, agricultural inspections plummeted. In 2022, CBP admitted inspecting less than 1% of vehicles for pests. That's down from 20% in the prior term. There were case clusters at ports of entry. Outbreaks are concentrated near El Paso, Laredo, and McAllen-prime smuggling routes for Mexican cattle and animal products contaminated with screwworms. That admin also ignored USDA warnings and refused to require proof of livestock treatment for screwworms.

by willmadden

6/4/2026 at 6:52:14 PM

> When the borders were open

When was that exactly? And what's changed?

by nielsbot

6/4/2026 at 3:01:58 PM

People used to say "reality has a liberal bias" -- maybe we can replace "liberal" with "racist" there now.

by lmz

6/4/2026 at 2:35:29 PM

If a government official says something racist shouldn't that be reported, so people reading know not to take that person/office seriously?

by add-sub-mul-div

6/4/2026 at 4:55:54 PM

There’s not an objective measure of whether something is racist or not because there are several different, politically charged definitions of racism that all apply to each other.

by noworriesnate