Rare flesh-eating parasite detected in U.S. for first time in years

MARYLAND — Health officials have confirmed the first travel-associated human case of the New World screwworm—a flesh-eating parasite—in the United States in several years.

The individual, a Maryland resident, recently returned from El Salvador and was diagnosed on August 4, 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The diagnosis was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), working with the Maryland Department of Health.

HHS spokesperson Andrew G. Nixon said, “The risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very low,” emphasizing the rarity of such cases in humans.

Screwworm larvae infest wounds in warm-blooded animals—including humans—and can be fatal if untreated, though early diagnosis and medical intervent