New World screwworm prompts animal movement restrictions in Indiana
By Gregg Montgomery
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana State Board of Animal Health has implemented new movement restrictions for animals entering the state, aiming to prevent the entry of New World screwworm into Indiana, following its identification in Texas and New Mexico.
Indiana has no confirmed cases of New World screwworm, but the pest could be carried into the state by people or animals from infested areas, a news release from the Indiana animal health board said.
The movement restrictions apply to all livestock and companion animals originating from a New World screwworm-infested zone. Animals entering Indiana from these zones must meet enhanced entry requirements, including an animal movement certificate, provided by the state-of-origin and approved by both the state-of-origin and the Indiana Board of Animal Health prior to shipment.
Animals in transport must also be inspected by a U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited veterinarian within five days of departure and obtain a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within five days of movement to Indiana.
The new restrictions align with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New World screwworm playbook, the release said.
The certificate of veterinary inspection must document the application of an effective treatment for New World screwworm. For livestock and poultry species, treatment must be applied within 14 days of movement, unless the animals are going directly to slaughter. Cats and dogs require treatment within five days of movement.
Several categories of animals are exempt from some of these requirements. These include hatching and table eggs, chicks, poults, or ducklings younger than 5 days of age, and birds from National Poultry Improvement Plan-certified flocks moving on a specific former called NPIP 9-3.
Small mammals, such as hamsters, gerbils, Guinea pigs and exotic birds that are bred, born and housed indoors are also exempt, although a certificate of veterinary inspection is still required and proactive treatment is encouraged if deemed safe.
Swine from indoor-housed commercial swine farms moving within a valid Swine Production Health Plan are exempt if they are inspected and found free of wounds within five days of movement, or if an effective treatment is applied within 14 days of movement, unless going directly to slaughter.
Indiana animals that leave the state for exhibitions or other temporary movements may return on the same certificate of veterinary inspection used for travel if the certificate is still valid (less than 30 days) and the animal has not traveled into an infested zone. The Board of Animal Health has not changed exhibition requirements for fairs or open shows, but all out-of-state entries must meet applicable interstate requirements.
Animal owners should observe their pets, livestock and poultry closely for signs of New World screwworm. These signs include the presence of unusual flies or maggots in or around open wounds, sores, or body openings such as the nose, ears, navel, or genitalia. New World screwworm flies are characterized by orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body and three dark stripes along their backs.
Other signs include wounds that continue to drain or grow larger, often accompanied by the smell of decay. Animals may also show discomfort, such as head-shaking or irritated behavior. Watching for these signs is especially important after travel and exhibitions.
New World screwworm flies are attracted by smell and lay eggs in open wounds on warm-blooded animals and rarely, humans. Within hours, the eggs hatch into worms that burrow into the flesh in a screw-like pattern to feed, causing wounds to expand and deepen. Infestations should be treated by a veterinarian with specific FDA-approved medications labeled as effective on New World screwworm and some pesticides are also labeled for control.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mexican animal health officials have been working to halt the northward spread of New World screwworm. They use a sterile fly release program to disrupt the breeding cycle, a method that was key to eradicating New World screwworm from the United States in 1966. The USDA has increased its production of sterile flies in Texas to combat population growth.
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