1st human case of flesh-eating parasite detected in US
ABC NewsNOV 2025
First Human Screwworm Case in US Since 1982 Confirmed in Maryland
Above: The Union Ganadera Chihuahua cattle import facility in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, in June, 2025. Image credit: Paul Ratje/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The government's response shows they're taking this threat seriously with concrete action. Building a sterile fly facility in Texas demonstrates commitment to preventing an outbreak that could devastate the cattle industry and the risk remains very low to public health.
Establishment-critical narrative
Officials weren't transparent about this case, leaving state veterinarians to find out through other channels rather than proper notification. The two-to-three-year timeline for the proposed facility seems too slow given the parasite's northward movement.