Background & Goals of New World Screwworm Detection in the United States
In 2025, the United States confirmed the first human case of New World Screwworm (NWS) infection, raising concerns about potential outbreaks affecting livestock and wildlife. The goal was to assess the risk of NWS spread and evaluate control measures.
Materials & Methods
The study involved case investigation, including travel history and exposure assessment. Entomological surveys were conducted to detect NWS larvae in animal populations. Control strategies, including sterile insect technique, were implemented and monitored.
Results
The investigation confirmed a single imported case with no evidence of local transmission. Surveillance and control measures were deemed effective in preventing further spread.
Conclusion
The detection of NWS underscored the importance of vigilant surveillance and rapid response to emerging zoonotic threats.
Keywords
New World Screwworm, Zoonotic Infection, Livestock, Surveillance, Control Measures
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). New World Screwworm Detection – United States, 2025. CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/new-world-screwworm/situation-summary/
Copyright
This case study is adapted from the article “New World Screwworm Detection – United States, 2025” published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025). The original work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
Disclaimer
This lesson paraphrases and adapts content from the original publication by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025). All rights to the original publication remain with the organization. This material is intended solely for educational and teaching purposes. Any commercial use or reproduction of the original work without permission is prohibited. You can view the full article here: https://www.cdc.gov/new-world-screwworm/situation-summary/
