‘Report any suspected cases’: KDHE posts alert on flesh-eating screwworm parasites

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas health officials say they are creating response plans in the event a flesh-eating parasite makes its way into the Sunflower State.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) posted an alert on Sept. 5 regarding a recent outbreak of New World screwworm (NWS) in Central America and Mexico. The KDHE reports the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a rapid response plan if an animal is diagnosed with screwworm.

The KDHE reports that while screwworms target animals, they can also infect humans as well. The first human case of screwworm infection in the U.S. was recently reported on Aug. 25 when a traveler from El Salvador arrived in Maryland.

“Humans can become infected with NWS when they travel to endemic or outbreak areas. Healthcare providers should be aware of the possibility of travel-related cases of NWS in Kansas residents and report any suspected cases to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment immediately.”
KDHE health alert excerpt

Screwworms are a type of fly that create parasitic larvae that feed on living tissue in and around open wounds, according to the KDHE. People who are infected may have painful wounds or sores, bleeding sores, feel larvae moving inside the body or carry a foul-smelling odor. The parasites were eradicated from the U.S. by 1966 but, over the last three years, are rising in numbers in the nations of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador and Belize.

The KDHE said that any suspected animal cases of screwworm should be immediately reported to the KDA at 785-564-6601 or by clicking here. The agency is also providing educational materials to local healthcare providers regarding the current NWS outbreak and risks posed to travelers heading into the outbreak zones.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Aug. 25 that 111,000 animal cases and more than 680 human infections are being reported in the outbreak area. You can learn more about NWS on the CDC’s website by clicking here.

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