Following months of warnings from agricultural industry leaders regarding the threatened re-emergance of the New World Screwworm at Texas’ southern border, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced approval of an injectable drug to combat the flesh-eating pest.
The New World Screwworm, a parasite that eats the flesh of warm-blooded mammals, has re-emerged this past year after being eradicated to the Panama Gap in the late 1960’s.
In November 2024, the first case of NWS was discovered 1,100 miles from the southern border, at which time all live animal trade from Mexico was shut down.
Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reopened and closed the border imports several times until a screwworm case was confirmed 370 miles from the southern border, prompting officials to shutdown livestock ports indefinitely.
Last week, the USDA confirmed that a case of New World Screwworm infestation was discovered 70 miles from the southern border, near Laredo.
After receiving authority from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to authorize animal drugs to combat screwworm, the Food and Drug Administration has conditionally approved the use of Dectomax-CA1, an anti-parasitical injectable drug. It will be used in cattle to treat NWS larvae infestations and to prevent re-infestation for 21 days.
The FDA reports that the drug was able to receive conditional approval because it has been proven safe with a reasonable expectation of effectiveness.
“With the latest case popping up only 70 miles from our Texas border, we’re running out of time,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told Texas Scorecard. “It’s time to think outside the box.”
Miller praised the FDA’s move on approving Dectromax-CA1, which is the first drug to both treat and prevent screwworm infestation.
“Together with the Trump administration and our Texas producers, we’re building a strong wall of defense for our $30-billion livestock industry,” said Miller. “With tools like this in our hands, there’s no doubt that Texas is going to stop the New World screwworm in its tracks.”
In August, Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the USDA will invest $750 million to build a sterile fly production facility in the U.S to help eradicate and prevent its reappearance.
In July, Miller released a plan for a new and improved chemical lure, named TDA Swormlure, designed to attract and kill adult screwworm flies.
Gov. Abbott directed the Texas Park and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to establish a joint New World Screwworm Response Team.
