Missouri agriculture officials are taking new steps to protect the state against the New World screwworm, a parasite whose flesh-eating larvae feed on the living tissue of livestock, pets and wildlife.
The Department of Agriculture and State Veterinarian Steve Strubberg announced the changes Friday, saying the updated guidelines take effect immediately.
The new rules require any domestic animal entering Missouri from a state that contains an infested zone to get a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection completed within 14 days of entry.
The certificate must state that "all animals were inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation." Additionally, the animals must not have not originated from or moved through a New World screwworm-infested zone.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the country's first case in the current outbreak earlier this month in Texas. Since then, there have been dozens of documented cases, all of them confined to Texas. No cases of the New World screwworm have been reported in Missouri.
New World screwworm maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals. Symptoms include wounds that rapidly enlarge, bloody or light-colored drainage and white egg masses around wounds. Anyone who suspects an infestation should contact a veterinarian immediately.
In rare cases, the New World screwworm can infect people, though there have been no documented cases during this outbreak. However, the USDA advises anyone who notices a suspicious lesion on their body or suspects they may have contracted screwworm to seek immediate medical attention.
Officials emphasized that the New World screwworm does not affect the safety of the nation's food supply and that there is no threat to meat safety from the current outbreak.
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