US halts cattle imports from Mexico due to spread of flesh-eating maggot

On Sunday, May 11, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins halted all live cattle imports from Mexico due to concerns about the spread of the New World screwworm. This flesh-eating maggot, mostly dangerous for animals, has recently been detected in Southern Mexico. In a statement, Rollins said that her decision is not a “punishment” of Mexico but a precautionary action to protect US animals and food supplies. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the ban will be reviewed monthly and likely lifted when “a significant window of containment is achieved.”
The New World screwworm are fly larvae that burrow into the wounds or mucous membranes of cows and other farm animals. In the 1960s and ‘70s, the US and Mexico successfully eradicated the pest by releasing hundreds of millions of sterile adult flies that would mate with the females, ultimately preventing them from laying viable eggs. This strategy kept the New World screwworm at bay for several decades, though outbreaks would still happen occasionally with severe consequences. In 1976, for example, an outbreak in Texas affected over 1 million cattle and hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats, with huge loss of animals and hefty costs for farmers. The maggots feast relentlessly on the flesh and blood of their animal host and, if left untreated, can consume an adult cow in two weeks. Thus, experts are extremely worried about their sudden reappearance in parts of Mexico and other Central American countries. Before the current ban, the US shut down live animal trade on the southern border last November, reopening it three months later after agreeing new containment measures with Mexico.