Samples collected from a suspected New World screwworm infestation on a cattle ranch in La Pryor, Texas, were transported to a federal government laboratory in Iowa for diagnostic testing, Texas Representative Don McLaughlin said on Wednesday.
McLaughlin said the samples were taken from two calves on the same ranch on Tuesday. He said he had reviewed photographs and video footage that depict the suspected infestations.
Earlier in the day, a photograph that had circulated among livestock producers appeared to show what McLaughlin described as the same case.
The Texas Animal Health Commission, however, said on Wednesday that there has been no confirmed detection of New World screwworm in Texas.
Federal and state statements have not been fully aligned. The U.S. Department of Agriculture told reporters earlier this week that McLaughlin had reported inaccurate information when he said a case had been confirmed one mile south of the Texas border. The USDA said a confirmed case was documented 25 miles south of the Texas border in Coahuila state on Tuesday.
At this stage, the specimens from the La Pryor ranch are undergoing testing at the designated federal laboratory in Iowa to determine whether the larvae are indeed New World screwworm. Officials have not released results and the Texas Animal Health Commission maintains that no Texas cases are confirmed.
Photographs and video circulated among regional livestock producers have prompted local and state attention, but public statements from agencies underline that confirmation hinges on laboratory analysis and official verification.
Summary
Specimens taken from two calves on a La Pryor, Texas, ranch were sent Tuesday to a federal government laboratory in Iowa to test for New World screwworm. Representative Don McLaughlin said he had reviewed images and video of the suspected cases. The Texas Animal Health Commission said Wednesday that no cases have been confirmed in Texas, and the USDA said earlier that a previously reported confirmation one mile south of the border was inaccurate, noting instead a confirmed case 25 miles south in Coahuila state on Tuesday.
Key points
- Samples from two calves on the same ranch in La Pryor, Texas, were sent to a federal laboratory in Iowa for testing.
- Photos and video of the suspected infestations were reviewed by Representative Don McLaughlin, who discussed the cases publicly on Wednesday.
- State and federal statements differ: the Texas Animal Health Commission reports no confirmed screwworm cases in Texas, while the USDA confirmed a case 25 miles south of the Texas border in Coahuila state on Tuesday and said an earlier statement about a case one mile south was inaccurate.
Risks and uncertainties
- Laboratory testing is pending, so it remains uncertain whether the specimens represent New World screwworm; this uncertainty affects confirmation and any response actions.
- Conflicting public statements from officials and agencies create uncertainty about the geographic proximity and status of confirmed cases.
- Circulating photos and video have not replaced formal diagnosis, leaving questions about the extent and nature of the suspected infestations until lab results are released.