The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed Wednesday the detection of New World screwworm in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas — the first such detection in the United States.

The affected animal is a 3-week-old calf, with larvae identified in its umbilical area. No further detections have been reported.

New World screwworm larvae burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious damage to livestock and economic losses. The pest can affect livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. Maggots most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on living flesh.

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USDA and Texas officials are taking immediate action to contain and eradicate the pest. Response measures include forming a unified Incident Command Team with the Texas Animal Health Commission, establishing a 20 km infested zone around the detection site with quarantines and movement controls, and expediting targeted release of sterile screwworm flies by deploying ground release chambers in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially in the area. Officials are also increasing trapping along the border and just outside the dispersal area, implementing surveillance and management strategies in wildlife, and conducting targeted outreach locally.

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USDA's National Veterinary Stockpile stands ready to provide treatments, equipment, and logistics support as needed. USDA will work with state departments of agriculture, animal health officials, industry, and producers to mitigate economic impacts, including negotiating with trading partners to regionalize any trade restrictions on live animals to defined geographic areas.

The U.S. food supply is safe. Screwworms do not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food sources. Any evidence of screwworm infestation in an animal would be identified during federal inspection, and any contaminated product from an affected animal would not be allowed to enter the food supply.

Residents in the area should check pets and livestock for signs of screwworm infection. Look for draining or enlarging wounds, signs of discomfort, and screwworm larvae or eggs in or around body openings such as the nose, ears, genitalia, or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge immediately. While not common in people, anyone noticing a suspicious lesion or suspecting screwworm infection should seek immediate medical attention.

For more information, visit Screwworm.gov.