As New World screwworm returns to the US, a new dashboard tracks the risk

In the 1950s, the New World screwworm infested U.S. livestock, costing producers tens of millions of dollars annually. After being eradicated, the pest has recently re-emerged in Texas and New Mexico, endangering livestock, wildlife and humans. To monitor the threat, researchers from UC San Diego and San Diego County Health officials developed a risk tracking dashboard.

The tool combines confirmed screwworm detections, environmental suitability data and media reports to estimate risk levels nationwide at the county level. Incorporating news articles allows the dashboard to detect potential threats earlier than traditional reporting methods, which often take days or weeks for lab confirmation. New World screwworm larvae burrow into living tissue, causing wounds to worsen and increasing susceptibility to secondary infections.

While cases in humans are rare, the larvae can also infect mucous membranes, necessitating immediate medical attention. The pest's spread has been accelerated by the migration of livestock, pets, birds and wildlife. For eradication, officials are employing strategies similar to the successful sterile insect technique used in the 1950s, complemented by pesticides, animal movement quarantines and genetically modified all-male screwworm strains.

UC San Diego researchers are also developing advanced genetic technologies to bolster future control and eradication efforts. The dashboard, a project of Resilient Shield, a CDC center housed at UC San Diego, is the first of its kind, designed in response to public health needs by public health professionals.