The mainstream media has started its fear-mongering of Donald Trump’s budget cuts that allegedly “threaten” the progress made on stopping the New World screwworm infestation. The recent Maryland case of the parasitic infection highlights the need for more research, according to the media.
Even with the budget cuts, the United States has still managed to put three-quarters of a billion dollars into tackling the parasite.
U.S. Makes $750 Million Investment In Tackling Screwworm
The patient in Maryland was diagnosed in August with New World screwworm, a parasitic fly, after traveling to El Salvador. Accoridng to a report by The Guardian, the case shows that international cooperation and research are still needed to prevent further infections.
Parasite Screwworm Infects Its First American
Doctors and veterinarians say the case poses very low risks for human health in the United States, but it comes after an increase in cases in South and Central America and the Caribbean in recent years.
Even though health officials say that the human screwworm risk is low, on August 18th, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it still “presents a significant potential for a public health emergency that could affect national security.” The Food and Drug Administration posted the statement on its website under the “Frequently Asked Questions” section.
There is no vaccine for screwworm because it’s a parasitic fly that creates the infection. There are no other established ways to treat the infection either. “This is not an instantaneous infestation,” said Heather Walden, an associate professor of parasitology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. “This takes time – this is not like a bacteria or a virus that spreads quickly.”
Among people in the endemic areas of South and Central America and the Caribbean, “there’s only a few hundred cases in those countries altogether, so it’s not something that rapidly transmits to humans”, Timothy Schell, acting director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said on an FDA podcast. –The Guardian
Parasite Screwworm Infects Its First American