Worm found in local cow means quarantine for animals
Brewster County
The New World screwworm was detected in a cow in Brewster County on July 9, leading to a large area in the county being designated by the Texas Animal Health Commission as “Infested Zone 13” and under quarantine.
New World screwworm flies lay eggs in open wounds and other vulnerable areas on warm-blooded animals. Their larvae feed on living tissues and can cause severe injuries or death in livestock, wildlife and pets. Human infestations are possible but not common. Until last week’s discovery, screwworms had been found in Pecos and Terrell counties as well as a handful of South Texas countries.
Infections caused hundreds of millions of dollars to the Texas cattle industry in the 1900s, until the sterile insect technique was introduced in 1966. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with the state on continued production and dispersal of millions of sterile flies to try and eradicate them.
Quarantine regulations include:
- Warm-blooded animals located within Infested Zone 13 may not be moved outside of the zone without prior authorization from the Commission. Any person in possession or control of such animals must obtain permission and comply with all conditions set by the Commission before transporting the animals beyond the quarantine boundaries.
- To move warm-blooded animals outside of Infested Zone 13, the animal must be inspected and treated as required by the Commission and issued a permit or certificate for movement by a Commission representative. Hides, carcasses, and parts of any animal capable of serving as a host for NWS must be inspected and undergo any treatment deemed necessary by a Commission representative prior to removal from the Infested Zone 13.
- Unauthorized movement is prohibited and subject to administrative penalties and/or criminal prosecution.
On June 24, Presidio County commissioners took the preliminary step of declaring a local state of disaster to be eligible for funding assistance should the screwworm arrive in the county. Gov. Greg Abbott also issued a statewide declaration in early June.
You can view an updated map of screwworm cases at the USDA website.
