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A flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm, has been found in a person who recently traveled from El Salvador to the US. While the risk to the public is considered low, the parasite, a fly larva, poses a serious threat to livestock. The CDC confirmed the case, and the US government is implementing a plan to release billions of sterile flies to control the spread, a method that proved successful in the past. This parasite can cause devastating economic losses in agriculture, with Texas alone facing potential billions of dollars in damage. Human infections are rare but can be fatal.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.