New Mexico's First New World Screwworm Case Confirmed by USDA
The USDA says the case is isolated and is urging daily animal checks and immediate reporting as investigators track the dog’s exposure history.
- The USDA confirmed New Mexico's first New World screwworm case in a dog residing in Lea County, after initially attributing the infection to Texas before reattribution.
- NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded animals, making early detection and rapid reporting essential for preventing its spread.
- A veterinarian in Andrews County, Texas, which borders Lea County, reported the NWS case, prompting officials to reattribute the infection to New Mexico.
- Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins said the USDA and State officials are implementing a federal response playbook to identify and contain potential cases.
- Officials continue investigating the dog's travel history and exposure, while urging owners to inspect animals daily for draining wounds, maggots, lesions, and other signs of infection.
22 Articles
22 Articles
New World Screwworm spreads to second U.S. state as officials confirm thousands of people infected worldwide
New World Screwworm spreads to second U.S. state as officials confirm thousands of people infected worldwide | 8 June 2026 | The flesh-eating parasites that burrow into the living tissue of their victims have spread beyond Texas and are now moving through a second US state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first case of New World screwworms in New Mexico, raising the total number of cases in the U.S. to five. Officials said t…
First New Mexico screwworm case identified in a dog in Lea County
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The first New Mexico case of the New World Screwworm has been identified in the southeast part of the state. The United States Department of Agriculture received a report Monday indicating the case of the flesh-eating parasite is in a dog in Eunice in Lea County. "The issue is not a question [...]
New World screwworm reaches New Mexico as new cases are confirmed in Texas
Federal officials said Monday they have confirmed new cases of New World screwworm in the U.S., including the first known case in New Mexico and additional infections in Texas. The cases were announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which said infections had been confirmed in a calf in La Salle County, Texas, a goat in Gillespie County, Texas, and a dog whose case was initially …
New Mexico reports first New World screwworm case in dog
On June 8, 2026, New Mexico and federal agencies reported the state’s first New World screwworm case, detected in a Lea County dog. (Close-up image courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture)New Mexico agriculture officials on Monday confirmed the state’s first case of New World screwworm, detected in a Lea County dog, just days after the first incursion of the devastating parasitic fly in a south Texas calf. The infested dog, who resides in Eunice…
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