Panama: Epidemiological surveillance for screwworm strengthened after two human cases in Chiriquí region
The Ministry of Health in Chiriquí region, in western Panama said they will strengthen epidemiological surveillance after reports of two cases of screwworm in humans.
Although one of the cases was detected in Cerro Caballo, an area bordering the Ngabe Buglé region and the other in the community of La Peña in Santiago de Veraguas, the Chiriquí region, being an important point for livestock farming, is redoubling its efforts in conjunction with zoonoses. and the Ministry of Agricultural Development.
Novoa said that the two patients (an adult over 94 years of age and a minor) were confined at the Luis Chicho Fábrega hospital; However, the little girl was sent to the children's hospital in the Capital city.
He added that the cattle screwworm is a larva of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax; It is a parasite that during the larval phase affects all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Cases in humans are sporadic (few cases), however, they can occur where there are wounds, ulcers and poor hygiene measures, which attract flies, which lay their eggs and reproduce.
He indicated that in previous years, the cattle screwworm remained limited to the presentation of fluctuating cases in the province of Darién, with some very sporadic detections in the province of Panama, however, in 2023 screwworm was detected of livestock in animals in practically all regions of the country.