First Human Case of Flesh-Eating Screwworm Parasite Confirmed in the U.S.

The flesh-eating parasite known as the screwworm has arrived in the United States. And for the first time in modern history, it has officially infected a human in the United States.

Back in June, I wrote about the march of the screwworm across Honduras. In July, I followed up with an update on how Texas was partnering with Mexico to release billions of sterile male flies to mate with female screwworms, aiming to reduce their numbers.

While that may have made a dent, given the scale of the swarm, it was only a matter of time before someone in the United States was infected. The patient is a Maryland resident who had recently traveled to El Salvador.

Thankfully, they had already recovered after doctors confirmed they were infested with the larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax, also known as