Texas center to disperse sterile screwworm flies to block parasite it spawns

The United States has opened its first center in decades for dispersing sterile screwworm flies from American soil in southern Texas, a facility designed to block the parasite that these insects spawn and protect livestock from potentially devastating infestations. The new operation marks a significant advancement in the nation's ongoing battle against the New World screwworm, a parasite whose larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe injury and even death if left untreated. The sterile insect technique, which involves releasing millions of laboratory-bred male flies that have been sterilized through radiation, works by mating with wild females who then produce non-viable eggs, gradually reducing the population over time. This approach has previously been instrumental in eradicating screwworm from the United States in the 1960s and from parts of Central America, but this is the first time such a facility has operated from U.S. soil in nearly 50 years. The strategic location in Texas positions the center to respond quickly to any potential reintroduction of the pest, which could enter through wildlife or imported livestock from neighboring Mexico where the screwworm remains endemic.