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New Mexico鈥檚 first confirmed case of New World Screwworm in half a century was acknowledged at a Monday news conference with state agricultural officials.

A small male dog in Lea County picked up the parasite in a case on Sunday. The case in southeastern New Mexico had initially been counted as a Texas case because the dog鈥檚 veterinarian practices over the state line in Andrews, New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said.

The parasitic fly was declared as , although livestock in some areas could still be exposed to screwworms traveling from parts of Mexico. Dr. Samantha Holeck, state veterinarian with the New Mexico Livestock Board, said some incursions continued in southern New Mexico as recently as the 1970s.

The screwworm larvae attack the flesh of warm-blooded animals and, without early detection and treatment, can be fatal. Infestations are particularly destructive to cattle, but may also be carried by wildlife, pets 鈥� even people, although such cases are rare.

Since late 2024, the New World screwworm has spread north across Mexico from Central America, prompting repeat closures of livestock imports at the U.S.-Mexico border as the government unlocked emergency funding for mitigation efforts to halt or slow their approach. A key strategy is to introduce sterile male flies into the wild, as female screwworms mate only once.

As the New World screwworm continued to move northward, however, their return to the U.S. was seen as inevitable, with agencies beginning to prepare cattle growers for catching infestations early and getting treatment. As Bronson Corn, former president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers鈥� Association put it last summer: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not an 鈥榠f we鈥檙e going to see it;鈥� it鈥檚 a 鈥榳hen we鈥檙e going to see it.鈥欌��

The 鈥渨hen鈥� came on Wednesday, with the first case of New World screwworm confirmed in a calf near La Pryor in South Texas. Since then, three more cases have been confirmed in Texas as well as the New Mexico dog, bringing the total of active cases to five.

The dog lived in Eunice, south of Hobbs. Witte said it was a domestic pet that did not travel except to see the vet. While apparently an isolated case, officials were still unclear where or how the dog picked up the parasite, prompting a rapid response to surveil the area and reach out not only to livestock owners but pet guardians, too.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to watch your animals: Watch for any changes in their behavior,鈥� Holeck said, describing warning signs including evidence of being in pain or lethargy.

The female screwworm is drawn to fresh wounds that may be as small as a tick bite, or to mucous membranes, where she will lay eggs. The larvae then dig into the flesh, with fatal or devastating consequences to the pet without successful treatment.

Witte and Holeck both emphasized that the New World screwworm is a serious and expensive pest, but not a threat to food safety. Witte said any short-term effect on beef prices would likely be speculative and short-lived.

Holeck said discussions among the NMDA, Livestock Board and USDA were underway about immediate mitigation strategies including sterile fly releases. Holeck said the response could include designated zones requiring extra inspections before the animals may travel. She also pointed pet owners to veterinarians for information about bringing their animals into Mexico, which has its own regulations in place.

Witte said the state Department of Health, state Department of Wildlife and New Mexico State University鈥檚 Cooperative Extension service had also begun conferring in advance of the first confirmed case. 

The USDA maintains an informational website, , for information on developments, debunking misinformation, how to report suspected cases and steps for responding to an infestation including information on approved products.

鈥淭he key to success in controlling the New World screwworm is early reporting, and early detection, and early treatment. That will help New Mexico and the other states,鈥� Witte said.

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.