The International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.N. food agency are backing new research to help contain the screwworm outbreak in the Americas as officials warn current sterile fly production falls far short of emergency needs.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.N. food agency have launched a $1 million research project aimed at helping contain the screwworm outbreak spreading through the Americas, including by addressing a shortage of sterile flies used to suppress the pest.
The effort comes as the screwworm has re-emerged in Central America and Mexico and was confirmed in the United States this month for the first time in more than 40 years.
The outbreak has raised concerns for livestock, wildlife and pets while also adding pressure to beef markets, where prices have climbed near record highs.
Screwworm flies pose a serious threat because females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals. After hatching, hundreds of larvae feed on living flesh. If untreated, an infestation can kill the host.
The containment strategy being pursued by the agencies centers on the sterile insect technique, a method that uses radiation to render male flies unable to reproduce.
Sterile flies are released into affected areas, where they mate with wild flies but produce no offspring. Over time, repeated releases can reduce the wild population and help stop the spread of the pest.
The same method played a major role in earlier campaigns that eradicated screwworm from the United States, Mexico and Central America.
Officials said the current outbreak could require as many as 600 million sterile flies each week for emergency response operations.
Current production is far below that level. The only operational facility, located in Panama, now produces about 100 million sterile flies weekly.
Additional production capacity is planned in Metapa de Dominguez, Mexico, and Mission, Texas. Those facilities could eventually add up to 400 million sterile flies per week in the coming years.
The new $1 million research project is intended to help strengthen the response by supporting work on sterile fly supply, production challenges and containment efforts.
The agencies said the goal is to improve the ability of affected countries to respond before the outbreak becomes more costly and difficult to control.
The screwworm’s return has renewed attention on the need for coordinated regional action because the pest can cross borders and threaten animals across large geographic areas.
Officials said expanding sterile fly availability will be central to preventing wider damage to agriculture, wildlife and animal health throughout the Americas.
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