Federal and state authorities have confirmed the first instance of New World screwworm infestation in Texas since 1966, prompting the establishment of quarantine zones and the deployment of biological control strategies.

聯邦和州政府當局已確認德州出現自1966年以來首宗新世界螺旋蠅感染病例，隨即設立檢疫區並部署生物控制策略。

The infestation was identified in a three-week-old calf located in La Pryor, Zavala County, approximately 80 kilometers from the Mexican border. This detection follows a documented northward progression of the parasite through Central America and Mexico beginning in 2023, which breached the long-standing biological barrier in the Darién Gap. The parasite, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is characterized by larvae that consume living tissue in warm-blooded animals. While human infections are rare within the United States, the CDC has reported over 2,000 cases and 10 fatalities across Mexico and Central America since 2023.

此感染病例是在扎瓦拉郡 La Pryor 一隻三週大的小牛身上發現的，地點距離墨西哥邊境約 80 公里。此次發現源於該寄生蟲自 2023 年起紀錄到從中美洲和墨西哥向北推進，突破了達里安缺口（Darién Gap）長期存在的生物屏障。這種寄生蟲（Cochliomyia hominivorax）的特徵是幼蟲會食用溫血動物的活組織。雖然美國國內人類感染罕見，但 CDC 報告指出自 2023 年以來，墨西哥和中美洲已有超過 2,000 例病例及 10 人死亡。

To mitigate further spread, the Texas State Veterinarian implemented a 20-kilometer quarantine zone, restricting the movement of warm-blooded animals. The primary containment strategy involves the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), wherein irradiated sterile male flies are released to disrupt the reproductive cycle of wild females. Current operations include the aerial and ground dispersal of millions of sterile flies; however, a significant capacity deficit exists. The sole remaining production facility in Panama produces approximately 100 to 117 million flies weekly, whereas historical eradication efforts required approximately 500 million. To address this, the USDA is renovating a facility in Metapa, Mexico, and constructing a $750 million production plant in Edinburg, Texas, the latter of which is projected for completion by late 2026 or November 2027.

為了減緩進一步擴散，德州州獸醫實施了 20 公里的檢疫區，限制溫血動物的移動。主要的圍堵策略涉及「昆蟲不育技術」（SIT），即釋放經過輻射處理的不育雄飛，以干擾野生雌飛的繁殖週期。目前的行動包括透過空中和地面散布數百萬隻不育飛；然而，生產能力存在嚴重缺口。巴拿馬唯一剩餘的生產設施每週僅能生產約 1 億至 1.17 億隻飛，而歷史上的根除工作約需要 5 億隻。為了解決此問題，美國農業部（USDA）正在墨西哥 Metapa 翻新一座設施，並在德州 Edinburg 興建一座價值 7.5 億美元的生產廠，後者預計於 2026 年底或 2027 年 11 月完工。

Institutional and economic pressures complicate the response. The U.S. cattle industry, valued at $113 billion, is currently experiencing record-low herd sizes and high beef prices. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins attributed the parasite's arrival to illegal cattle movement and insufficient Mexican containment efforts, while other experts cited climate change and the reduction of severe cold snaps as contributing factors. Furthermore, reports indicate that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experienced significant staffing reductions in early 2025, and funding for international surveillance was curtailed, leading to concerns regarding the adequacy of current surveillance and response infrastructure.

體制與經濟壓力使應對工作複雜化。價值 1,130 億美元的美國牛業目前正經歷紀錄低位的牛群規模和高牛肉價格。農業部長 Brooke Rollins 將寄生蟲的到來歸因於非法牛隻移動及墨西哥圍堵措施不足，而其他專家則將氣候變遷和極寒天氣減少視為促成因素。此外，報告指出動植物健康檢查局（APHIS）在 2025 年初經歷了顯著的人員削減，且國際監測資金被縮減，導致外界對目前監測與應對基礎設施之充足性表示擔憂。

The current situation remains focused on the containment of a single confirmed case through SIT and quarantine, while the U.S. accelerates the development of sterile fly production capacity to prevent widespread establishment.

目前情況仍集中於透過 SIT 和檢疫來圍堵單一確診病例，同時美國正加速開發不育飛的生產能力，以防止大規模擴散。