Arizona officials confirmed seven New World screwworm cases in animals as of Friday, including the first detection in Pima County. According to the Pima County Health Department, the risk to humans remains low.
The seventh case, announced Friday, was in a domesticated horse near Tucson with no known history of travel, according to the Pima County Health Department. The department said the risk to humans remains low.
Animal health officials have established mandatory 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) infested zones around every confirmed detection, according to dvm360.
“The identification of the first New World Screwworm animal case in Pima County is concerning, but the risk to humans remains low,” Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen said. “Individuals with open, draining, or non-healing wounds should seek medical attention promptly, especially if they notice signs of insect infestation such as visible maggots.”
No human cases of New World screwworm have been reported in the U.S., officials said.
Prior to the Pima County detection, Arizona had confirmed six cases in animals across Cochise, Greenlee, and Graham counties, according to dvm360. Those cases included two dogs, three horses, and one sheep. The sixth case, announced earlier in the week, was a horse near Pearce in Cochise County, approximately five miles from the index case. The first detection was a dog in Cochise County, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Oct. 28.
State and county officials are scheduled to host a virtual town hall Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at https://arizona.zoom.us/j/89847196269, according to KGUN 9. The Pima Animal Care Center is pre-treating all dogs ahead of Sunday’s Fall Festival adoption event.
Arizona currently has three active infested zones. Animals cannot leave an infested zone until movement restrictions are lifted unless the state veterinarian directs otherwise. Self-inspection is suspended while a zone is active.
Dogs and cats leaving Arizona from an infested zone require a state permit and an electronic certificate of veterinary inspection, according to a Nov. 9 memo from assistant state veterinarian Sarah Heinrich, DVM. Dogs and cats outside an infested zone face no movement restrictions within Arizona. Leaving an infested zone requires an Arizona NWS premovement permit, an electronic CVI, and compliance with any destination state requirements. The memo makes USDA-accredited veterinarians responsible for verifying destination states’ entry requirements.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture asks livestock and pet owners to report suspected cases to [email protected] or call 602-542-4293. Hunters and outdoor recreationists should report suspected wildlife cases to the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 623-236-7201.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture requires daily inspection of animals for open wounds by veterinarians, shelters, producers, horse owners, pet owners, and outdoor recreationists. Wounds infested with maggots consistent with New World screwworm should be reported immediately.
The USDA continues sterile fly releases and construction of a sterile fly dispersal facility in Douglas, Arizona, according to dvm360.
New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded mammals, according to KJZZ. Infestations cause severe wounds in animals and, in rare cases, humans. Untreated cases can be fatal to animals within 10 days.
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