TEXAS – The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the Texas cases were detected in a calf in LaSalle County and a goat in Gillespie County, while the third case was identified in neighbouring New Mexico.
Dudley Hoskins, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said the situation remains fluid.
“The situation is evolving, and we expect new information to emerge as the investigation continues,” Hoskins said.
In response to the growing threat, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an increase in the state’s emergency operations centre response level, enabling additional resources to be deployed to contain the parasite.
The flesh-eating screwworm is a destructive pest that can infect any warm-blooded animal, including livestock, pets, wildlife and, in rare cases, humans. Its larvae burrow into living tissue, causing severe wounds, suffering and, in some cases, death, while also inflicting significant economic losses on the livestock industry.
The USDA recently confirmed another case in Texas near the area where the parasite was first detected in the United States decades ago, highlighting concerns about its resurgence.
According to Reuters, hundreds of veterinarians, support staff and animal health laboratory workers left the USDA in May 2025 following a federal workforce reduction drive under the Trump administration, raising concerns about the agency’s capacity to respond to animal disease outbreaks.
Experts warn that the renewed spread of the parasite poses a significant economic threat to Texas, the largest cattle-producing state in the US, due to livestock losses and rising treatment and labour costs.