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Q&A: Flesh-eating screwworms have returned. Which new technologies could stop them?

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They may look like any ordinary species of flies buzzing around on any given day, but the New World screwworm is quite extraordinary. Screwworm flies are highly destructive parasitic flies that feed on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, including humans (though the risk to humans is low). They burrow in a spiral (screw) pattern into wounds and bodily openings such as the ears, nose and mouth, laying hundreds of eggs.

Key takeaways

  • 01They may look like any ordinary species of flies buzzing around on any given day, but the New World screwworm is quite extraordinary.
  • 02Screwworm flies are highly destructive parasitic flies that feed on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, including humans (though the risk to humans is low).
  • 03They burrow in a spiral (screw) pattern into wounds and bodily openings such as the ears, nose and mouth, laying hundreds of eggs.
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