A blowfly (Chrysomya bezziana), the Old World counterpart to the New World screwworm, whose larvae feed on the living tissue of livestock and other warm-blooded animals through open wounds across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia, causing severe and sometimes fatal wound infestations known as myiasis. Unlike the New World species, no region-wide eradication program using sterile insect release has yet succeeded against it, and it remains a significant cause of livestock losses and a standing biosecurity concern for countries, including Australia, that have so far kept it out.
Facts
Connections
Associated With
Sheep, Livestock The Old World screwworm fly is a major cause of traumatic myiasis in sheep across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Caused By Agent Kind
Entity-backed identity for the agent-kind enum value this pest or disease already carries, resolved to an agriculture concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The agent-kind fact itself stays on the pest or disease unchanged.
Mite, Concepts Entity-backed identity for the agent-kind enum value this pest or disease already carries, resolved to an agriculture concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The agent-kind fact itself stays on the pest or disease unchanged.
Sources
1. Old World Screwworm (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationOpening definition paragraph
Chrysomya bezziana, also known as the Old World screwworm fly or screwworm, is an obligate parasite of mammals. Obligate parasitic flies require a host to complete their development. Named to honor the Italian entomologist Mario Bezzi, this fly is widely distributed in Asia, tropical Africa, India, and Papua New Guinea. The adult can be identified as metallic green or blue with a yellow face, and the larvae are smooth, lacking any obvious body processes except on the last segment.
lead description
Unlike the New World species, no region-wide eradication program using sterile insect release has yet succeeded against it, and it remains a significant cause of livestock losses and a standing biosecurity concern for countries, including Australia, that have so far kept it out.
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