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For shelters and rescues, the priority is prompt veterinary assessment and reporting—not trying to identify a suspected screwworm infestation by sight. New World screwworm (NWS) larvae feed on living tissue and can cause painful, worsening wounds. If an animal has maggots or egg masses in a wound or body opening, a foul odor, bloody discharge, or an enlarging wound, alert your veterinarian and promptly contact your state animal-health authority and the USDA Area Veterinarian in Charge.
What New World screwworm is—and why wounds matter
New World screwworm is the larval stage of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax. Unlike larvae that feed only on dead material, NWS maggots feed on living tissue. As they burrow into a wound, it can deepen and become more painful. Mammals and birds can be affected, including pets and wildlife as well as livestock. USDA APHIS explains the animal-health risk and current response information.
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One female fly can lay 200–300 eggs at a time and may lay up to 3,000 eggs over its 10-to-30-day lifespan, according to the CDC’s overview dated July 8, 2026. These figures help explain why prompt attention to a suspicious wound matters; they do not indicate that every maggot-infested wound is NWS.
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Warning signs are reasons to escalate, not a visual diagnosis. Other causes can produce similar signs, and species confirmation requires appropriate veterinary and diagnostic direction. Watch for:
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- Maggots or egg masses in a wound or body opening, including the nose, ears, or genital area.
- A foul or decaying odor, bloody discharge, or a wound that is enlarging or deepening.
- Irritability, head shaking, depression, reduced appetite, or isolation that may indicate pain or distress.
APHIS lists irritated behavior, head shaking, decay odor, and larvae in wounds among signs to report. Its veterinary factsheet, “New World Screwworm: Be Aware and Prepare” (April 2025), also describes larvae in body openings, bloody discharge, and behavior changes.
What shelter and rescue staff should do
- Alert the organization’s veterinarian promptly. Describe what you observed, where the animal came from, and any recent travel or transport information. Follow the veterinarian’s direction for care and handling.
- Report a suspected case promptly. Contact your State Animal Health Official and the USDA Area Veterinarian in Charge. APHIS says to immediately report suspicious wounds, maggots, or infestations. Use the current APHIS NWS page for reporting links and current response information.
- Do not delay escalation to identify larvae yourself. A photograph or appearance alone cannot confirm the species. Let the veterinarian and animal-health authorities determine whether and how specimens should be collected and submitted.
- Use disposable gloves when directed to handle an affected wound or collect a specimen. This is task PPE in veterinary guidance, not a preventive treatment or a substitute for professional direction.
APHIS’s veterinary factsheet gives technical specimen guidance for veterinary personnel: collect maggots from several sites in an open wound, including its deepest part; place them in a tight-closing vial or test tube; and preserve them at room temperature in 70 percent ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. USDA or a state veterinarian can assist with submission to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. These directions are not an invitation for untrained staff to sample a wound.
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Veterinary treatment and medication status
APHIS advises that animals infested with NWS should be treated according to their veterinarian’s recommendations. Its veterinary factsheet describes thorough cleaning of the affected area, removal of visible larvae, antiseptics to help prevent secondary infection, and approved topical or systemic antiparasitic treatments to eliminate remaining larvae. Shelter staff should leave examination and treatment decisions to the veterinarian.
On February 18, 2026, the FDA announced emergency use authorizations for two prescription products: NexGard (afoxolaner) chewable tablets to treat NWS myiasis in dogs, and NexGard COMBO (esafoxolaner, eprinomectin, and praziquantel topical solution) to treat it in cats. FDA said they were available only by prescription from a licensed veterinarian, who can assess whether they are appropriate and monitor for adverse reactions. FDA also noted that isoxazolines have been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures. Authorization and availability can change; veterinarians should consult the current FDA guidance. Routine flea and tick prevention should not be treated as a guarantee against NWS.
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Prevention, intake, and animal movement
APHIS advises watching pets and livestock for signs, arranging inspection of pets traveling internationally, treating wounds promptly with an approved insecticide, and protecting animals from wound-causing parasites such as ticks. If NWS is detected in the United States, APHIS may recommend additional measures, such as vehicle inspections when leaving an infested area or postponing procedures that create wounds in affected areas. Before changing shelter intake, transport, foster, or adoption practices, confirm current instructions with animal-health authorities.
Federal guidance reviewed for this article does not establish a complete shelter-specific protocol for intake, isolation, cleaning, or animal movement. Do not assume a universal isolation or sanitation procedure applies; seek local direction based on current detections and your veterinarian’s assessment.
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Animals traveling to the United States
For international travel, APHIS recommends consulting a veterinarian about risk, signs, prevention, examinations before and after travel, and veterinary resources at the destination. Dogs arriving from NWS-affected countries—including returning dogs—must have a health certificate signed by an official government veterinarian in the departure country confirming inspection for NWS within five days of travel and no infestation. Pets showing signs may be denied entry and returned to the departure country at the owner’s expense. Verify current requirements before arranging transport using APHIS pet-travel guidance.
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How to check current U.S. risk and detections
Outbreak geography changes, so use live official information rather than relying on an older news report or a general risk statement. The USDA APHIS current-status page, modified October 6, 2026, links to confirmed U.S. detections, emergency response resources, and Texas infested-zone maps. It says Mexico maps are updated Tuesdays and Thursdays and nearby case lists each business day; update schedules and outbreak status can change.
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CDC’s outbreak update of August 11, 2026 described current U.S. risk to people and animals as very low at that time, reported the first animal case in the current U.S. outbreak on June 3, 2026, and reported no locally acquired U.S. human cases. The same CDC page reported more than 209,400 animal cases and more than 2,600 human cases in Central America and Mexico; those are regional reported totals, not U.S. totals. Read the dated CDC situation summary alongside current USDA and state animal-health information.
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