US Confirms First Human Case of Flesh-Eating Screwworm

The US has confirmed its first human case of New World screwworm in a Maryland resident who recently returned from El Salvador, where an outbreak is ongoing.

The CDC warned the larvae, which consume living tissue, can cause life-threatening infections if untreated. Authorities are coordinating with Central American health agencies while the USDA builds a sterile fly facility in Texas and halts cattle imports from Mexico to curb spread.