The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday that a parasitic fly known as the New World screwworm has been detected in a cow in Texas-the first such case in the United States since the 1960s.
The fly deposits its flesh-eating larvae inside warm-blooded animals, primarily livestock. While rare, the screwworm can also infest humans, posing a potential public health risk.
The pest was previously eradicated from the U.S. through a decades-long sterilization program. Officials are now assessing containment measures to prevent an outbreak.