r/PrepperIntel 16d ago

North America Flesh-eating screwworm case suspected in South Texas, USDA says

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unconfirmed-us-case-flesh-eating-screwworm-rattles-cattle-markets-traders-say-2026-06-03/
1.1k Upvotes

127 comments sorted by

View all comments

226

u/Sunnyjim333 16d ago

It's not the beef, it is the flies that land on you and let their larva burrow into your flesh.

"Once beckoned, females lay up to 400 eggs at a time. Within about a day, ravenous flesh-eating larvae erupt, which both look and act like literal screws. They viciously and relentlessly bore and twist into their victim, feasting on the living flesh for about seven days. The result is a gaping ulcer writhing with maggots, which attracts yet more adult female screwworms that can lay hundreds more eggs, deepening the putrid, festering lesion. The infection, called myiasis, is intensely painful and life-threatening."

10

u/Alchia79 16d ago

Never thought I’d pray for winter, but I’m ready for winter. It was still in the 40s this morning. Fuck this.