BISBEE — A second case of New World screwworm has been confirmed in southeast Arizona, this time in a horse near Hereford in Cochise County, state officials said Monday, Arizona’s Family reported.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture said the horse lives about 10 miles west of Bisbee and has not traveled.
The new case is about 45 miles from Arizona’s first case, which was found in a dog living on a ranch near Elfrida, about 21 miles northeast of Bisbee.
The department set up a mandatory infested zone with a 12.4-mile radius around the horse’s property. Owners there cannot move livestock, horses or pets out of the zone unless the animals are checked by the state veterinarian.
New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, mostly livestock and sometimes people. Severe infestations can be deadly if not treated.
Pet and livestock owners are urged to check wounds closely and report anything that looks infested with maggots. Emergency veterinarian Dr. Chantelle Khambholja told KOLD that the most serious outbreaks tend to be in livestock.
Ranchers worry about the cost too. “This will have a big impact on the ranchers,” said Clay Parsons, manager of Marana Stockyards and Livestock.
Sources: Arizona’s Family. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: USDAgov / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
