Imported Horse In Florida Tests Positive For New World Screwworm, USDA Says

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week that a horse imported from Argentina at an equine import quarantine facility in Florida tested positive for New World screwworm.

“Sterile insects are an important tool, but USDA’s import requirements and protocols add another line of defense for NWS and other foreign animal diseases that threaten U.S. livestock. Earlier this week, the importance of those protocols was highlighted when a horse from Argentina was presented for routine importation at an equine import quarantine facility in Florida,” the USDA stated.

“Upon examination, APHIS identified an open wound with larvae on the animal and promptly collected and shipped samples to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Iowa. The horse was immediately treated with medication to kill any