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Concerns about the New World screwworm have put Texas pet adoptions on hold
Summary by The Houston Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: JOHN HANNA, AP , as published by Houston Public Media
· August 19, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: Houston Public Media · view original
U.S. officials have emphasized the parasite’s threat to the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry, but the screwworm fly can lay eggs that hatch into flesh-eating larvae in the wounds or mucous of any mammal.
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Summary created by The Houston Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page JOHN HANNA, AP, as published by Houston Public Media Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 19, 2026 Indexed here Aug 24, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
Every story comes with a passport. How we work · Corrections log · Publisher’s note
Key points officials have emphasized the parasite’s threat to the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry, but the screwworm fly can lay eggs that hatch into flesh-eating larvae in the wounds or mucous of any mammal.
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What is this story about? U.S. officials have emphasized the parasite’s threat to the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry, but the screwworm fly can lay eggs that hatch into flesh-eating larvae in the wounds or mucous of any mammal.
When was this published? This article was first published on August 19, 2026 by Houston Public Media and curated for The Houston readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by JOHN HANNA, AP at Houston Public Media. To learn more about how The Houston selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more News coverage from The Houston, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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