The U.S Department of Agriculture has a second case of New World screwworm in Zavala County, Texas in a one-month old calf, 5.6 miles away from the first case. New World screwworm is a serious parasitic fly that can affect livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. Adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly or slightly larger. Their larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. The following University of California, Davis, sources are available to share their expertise to the media on the topic.
is a clinical assistant professor in the Livestock Medicine and Surgery Service at the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and member of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. She is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and completed a master's degree with emphasis in veterinary parasitology. She can answer general questions regarding New World screwworm, including biology, lifecycle, diagnosis, treatment, and general prevention strategies for livestock. Contact: gvanhoy@ucdavis.edu
is a food animal veterinarian working within the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, or . Payne is a nationally recognized expert in biosecurity and can speak to the safety of the food supply and what producers can do to protect their herds. Contact: mpayne@ucdavis.edu, cell: 530-304-9306
is a clinical professor and director of the Large Animal Hospital at the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine. As a livestock veterinarian on the Livestock Herd Health & Reproduction Service, he has experience with the management of cattle and small ruminant health on an individual and herd level. He can answer general questions about New World screwworm, detection and treatment in large animal species, and address food safety concerns. Contact: brmcnabb@ucdavis.edu
You can learn more by visiting the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine’s .