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The US issues a health alert for human screwworm infection in Nicaragua.
This carnivorous parasite, which jumps to people from cattle, has already infected 124 people in the Central American country.
Updated Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 07:59
The United States remains deeply concerned about the presence of the screwworm in livestock in certain Central American countries. This time, through its embassy in Managua , the United States issued a health alert on Monday regarding the presence of this parasite in Nicaragua , where 124 cases have been detected in humans, Efe reports.
In a message posted on social media, the U.S. diplomatic delegation indicated that the Nicaraguan Institute for Agricultural Protection and Health (IPSA) has identified a total of 124 cases of human infection with the cattle screwworm in the last year.
He also warned that "it is a carnivorous parasite caused by the screwworm fly, which looks similar to the common housefly," and that it is affecting all of Nicaragua.
The U.S. Embassy recommended that its citizens in Nicaragua seek medical attention if they notice unusual wounds or injuries that worsen or contain maggots, or if they experience severe pain, redness, swelling, or infection in any wound.
Additionally, it recommended visiting specialized websites for additional information on the disease, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment, as well as the IPSA website in Nicaragua.
As of the first week of June, Nicaragua had recorded 18,059 cases of screwworm , including 117 in humans, which has now risen to 124.
All confirmed cases have been detected on farms located in the provinces of Río San Juan and Rivas, as well as in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, bordering Costa Rica, where the pest may have entered Nicaragua, according to the official report.
The plague has spread to the Pacific provinces of Granada, Carazo, Masaya, Managua, León, and Chinandega; as well as to the central provinces of Boaco and Chontales; and to the northern provinces of Matagalpa, Jinotega, Estelí, Nueva Segovia, and Madriz; and to the northern Caribbean, where epidemiological surveillance is ongoing, according to the report.
On April 5, 2024, the Nicaraguan government declared a nationwide animal health alert due to the presence of the screwworm in cattle and activated a system of 122 technicians at seven checkpoints near the border with Costa Rica , where the parasite is believed to have entered after 25 years of not being present in Nicaragua and after its eradication in 1999.
In its alert resolution, Nicaragua warned that positive cases of the screwworm had been confirmed in cattle in Panama and Costa Rica, "which affects all warm-blooded animal species, including humans."
Screwworm is a disease caused by the larvae of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) , which lays its eggs in any open wound of a warm-blooded animal and hours later the generated larvae feed on living tissue.
The United States government has allocated $110 million to contain the screwworm plague in Central America.
Mexico resumes cattle exports to the US
Meanwhile, Mexico resumed cattle exports to the United States on Monday, with the crossing of 882 heads, after a two-month closure due to the screwworm crisis, official sources reported.
"The first heads of cattle have already crossed into the United States from Agua Prieta, Sonora, there are nearly 900. This progress is the result of joint work to regulate livestock trade and reinforce actions against the screwworm in the south and southeast of the country," said the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) of Mexico, Julio Berdegué , in a message on the social network X.
A week ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture decided to gradually reopen the border to Mexican cattle, bison, and horses starting July 7. The border had been closed since May 11 due to the spread of this pest in Mexico.
The first border crossing to reopen was Douglas, in the state of Arizona, neighboring the Mexican state of Sonora (northwest).
Berdegué previously reported that between June 24 and July 6, the number of active cases of the cattle screwworm had fallen by 22.7%.
"We're not confident or confident that the problem has been solved, but these results indicate that things are being done right," he noted.
https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/medio-ambiente/2025/07/08/686cb20721efa0712d8b4574.html
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By U.S. Embassy Managua
13 MINUTE READ
Health Alert: Screwworm in Nicaragua
July 7, 2025
Location: Throughout Nicaragua
Event: Nicaragua’s Institute for Agricultural Protection and Health (IPSA) identified a total of 124 cases of human infection of the New World Screwworm (NWS) in the last year. NWS is a flesh-eating parasite caused by the Screwworm fly, which is similar in appearance to the common housefly.
How Screwworms Infest:
Female Screwworm flies lay their eggs in the living tissue of warm-blooded hosts, mainly in open, untreated wounds. Within hours, the eggs hatch into small larvae that feed on the surrounding tissue. Screwworm flies predominantly affect farm animals, including cattle, pigs, and horses, but can affect dogs, cats, and occasionally humans.
When to Seek Medical Attention:
- If you notice unusual wounds or lesions that worsen or contain maggots.
- If you experience severe pain, redness, swelling, or infection of any wound.
Actions To Take:
- Visit the CDC page on New World Screwworm for additional information about the disease, including symptoms, prevention, and treatment.
- Visit the IPSA page for local Spanish-language information on New World Screwworm.
- Refer to our list of local medical providers.
- Check with your medical provider if you have any questions regarding upcoming travel.
- Check with your travel insurance provider about options should you fall ill while overseas.
Do you need more information about consular services for U.S. citizens?
https://ni.usembassy.gov/health-alert-screwworm-in-nicaragua/
