How many human cases of New World screwworm will occur in the US this year?
Prediction markets at Kalshi are predicting a 30% chance of at least one human NWS case in the country this year.
FILE: Invasive insect threatens Florida strawberry crop
Assistant Professor of Strawberry and Small Fruit Crops Entomology at University of Florida Sriyanka Lahiri explains that strawberry growers in Florida have been battling an invasive pest since 2015. If the insect isn't managed properly almost 80% of a crop can be lost. UF scientists have been studying different ways to protect strawberry crops.
As warm summer temperatures persist across the U.S., outdoor enthusiasts must be mindful of dangerous pests, such as the New World Screwworm (NWS), which has recently resurfaced.
The flesh-eating parasite is a dangerous pest that affects livestock, pets, wildlife, birds and less commonly, humans.
HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLESH-EATING PARASITE IN THE US AS CASES TRIPLE IN SIZE
Screwworm infestations begin when a female fly lays eggs on a wound or body opening, where they hatch into larvae that burrow into the wound and feed on living tissue.
After feeding for about seven days, the larvae drop to the ground, where they emerge as adult screwworm flies to continue the cycle.
The New World screwworm is a species of the parasitic fly that completes part of its lifecycle by feeding on the tissue or flesh of warm-blooded animals and people. (USDA / FOX Weather)
This can be distinguished by feeling or seeing maggots move in the skin, or in the ears, nose, eyes or mouth, with an often painful, foul-smelling odor, according to the CDC.
The first reported case of NWS in the U.S. occurred on June 3, 2026, and since then, 41 cases have been recorded across two states in domestic animals, according to the USDA.
THE BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT WITH YOUR DOG THIS SUMMER
The active cases are located in Pecos, Brewster, Crockett, Sutton and Starr Counties in Texas.
The flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm, was detected this month in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, just 90 miles away from the U.S. boarder. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
As concern about these pests grows amid the small, but still active threat, experts at Kalshi ponder how many human cases will be reported in the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Prediction markets at Kalshi are predicting a 30% chance of at least one human NWS case in the country this year.
VIDEO: LARGE POD OF KILLER WHALES HUNT DOWN DOLPHINS IN CALIFORNIA WATERS
People with medical conditions that can cause bleeding or open pores, such as eczema, are at risk of these infectious pests.
VIDEO: WOMAN SENT RUNNING AS TWO LARGE MOOSE STALK HER ALONG COLORADO TRAIL
It is important to keep open wounds clean and covered, no matter how small or where on the body they are, to help prevent NWS flies.