Reuters reported on Sunday evening that a person who had traveled to the U.S. from Guatemala was confirmed as receiving treatment in Maryland for New World screwworm (NWS).
According to Reuters, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had confirmed the human case. State veterinarians learned of the human case during a call last week with the CDC.
The Oklahoma Farm Report reached out to Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall who tells us that Maryland officials had indicated to other states that they “are confident it’s contained.” Dr. Hall adds he believes “we are probably more likely to get it in a person or pet than we are in livestock in the short term.”
The exact dates of travel and arrival in U.S. are not confirmed at this time.
South Dakota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson, who was quoted in the Reauters story, says when Maryland officials confirmed it was NWS, CDC worked with the local physicians and dealt with the larva. She says there has been no livestock movement control put into place because of the case.
This is not the first case of a U.S. traveler being infect with NWS. Two other cases include a 15-year-old girl when she returned from a 3-week hiking trip to Peru and a 12-year-old girl who had been on a church mission to Palmira, Colombia.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall says they are aware of the developments: “NCBA is aware of a New World screwworm case detected in a person traveling from abroad into Maryland. The case was quickly identified and handled by the CDC in accordance with their protocols. Based on what has been shared with state animal health officials, we do not see any elevated risk to the livestock industry at this time. We appreciate the diligence of human health authorities. This case was quickly addressed thanks to existing protocols, and we are thankful for the ongoing coordination between the CDC, state departments of health, state animal health officials, and USDA.”
