A second case of the New World Screwworm, the flesh-eating parasite that infects calves and poses threats to the U.S. cattle industry, was detected in Texas on Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The first domestic case of the larvae was discovered in Zavala County roughly 100 miles southwest of San Antonio on Wednesday, after months of a rising number of cases in northern Mexico worried cattle farmers and Texas agriculture officials. A second case — roughly 5.6 miles from the first one — was confirmed Friday in a 1-month-old calf, the USDA said in a news release.
The parasitic flies lay eggs in open wounds and feed on living flesh, causing damage — and often, death — to livestock. In rare cases, the maggots can infect humans…