The University of Arizona has been awarded a $3.74 million Grand Challenge Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to help strengthen Arizona's preparedness for New World screwworm, a parasitic pest that threatens livestock, wildlife, companion animals and rural economies.

Unlike common flies, the New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into and feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds that can become life-threatening if not detected and treated quickly.

The pest was eradicated from the United States decades ago through a successful binational U.S.-Mexico effort that combined sterile fly release – a biological control method that reduces pest reproduction – with coordinated surveillance, public awareness and education campaigns.

The grant proposal grew out of a rapid collaboration led by Amy Ganguli, an extension specialist in the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, who brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association, veterinarians, government partners and conservation groups.

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"What made our proposal unique is that we used transdisciplinary approaches to developing it where producers were at the table from the start," Ganguli said.

Drawing on expertise in veterinary diagnostics, precision livestock technology, agricultural economics, social science, entomology and Cooperative Extension, the project will strengthen Arizona's ability to detect, prepare for and respond to New World screwworm. Researchers will also conduct a baseline assessment of the pest's potential economic impact on Arizona and a benefit-cost analysis of response strategies, including a proposed Arizona-based sterile fly distribution facility.

"As our State Veterinarian's Office works hard to prepare Arizona for the New World screwworm, which we hope never makes it here, it is terrific to have a partner like the University of Arizona working alongside us," said Paul Brierley, director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

"This is an example of the land grant engine revving up to bring innovative resources to livestock producers and the public in all 15 Arizona counties and 22 federally recognized tribes. University researchers worked closely with us to respond quickly to the call for proposals, and this funding will help power the all-hands-on-deck effort required to protect our livestock industry and once again push this pest out of our country," he said.

Faster detection through diagnostic innovation

Early detection is critical to containing New World screwworm, but current diagnosis relies on morphological identification, where trained entomologists examine individual larvae or flies, explained Emily Janovyak, assistant director of the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and co-leader of the project's diagnostic efforts.

Morphological identification remains the accepted standard for diagnosing New World screwworm, but it requires years of specialized expertise. As part of the project, Janovyak's team will validate a PCR-based diagnostic tool that could complement existing methods by expanding testing capacity and providing a flexible option as diagnostic needs evolve.

"Many foreign animal diseases are tested by PCR, a reliable technology that allows us to perform testing in volume much more efficiently," Janovyak said. "This molecular platform is more agile and scalable. Instead of relying exclusively on experienced entomologists, we could leverage a wider pool of laboratory professionals well versed in PCR testing."

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An extra set of eyes on remote rangelands

For Arizona ranchers, vast rangelands, remote pastures and a changing workforce mean producers are not able to inspect every animal every day. 

Flavie Audoin, an assistant extension specialist, is leading an effort to evaluate virtual fencing collars and satellite-based GPS ear tags as potential tools to provide ranchers with an extra set of eyes across the landscape.

The technology builds on tools ranchers already use for grazing management. By tracking movement and physiological changes, virtual fencing collars and GPS ear tags could help identify early warning signs of illness – including reduced movement, excessive head shaking or other behavioral changes associated with New World screwworm – and alert producers when an animal needs attention.

"This work represents one of the first efforts to integrate precision livestock technologies into disease surveillance on rangelands," Audoin said.

Predicting the spread

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Wildlife and free-ranging animals are an important pathway for New World screwworm to spread, making surveillance beyond livestock essential. Leigh Combrink, assistant professor of wildlife disease and conservation in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, will lead an effort to develop a forecasting tool that combines ecological data, weather patterns and host distributions – including livestock, wildlife, and companion animals – to create fine-scale risk maps for New World screwworm.

Using machine-learning methods, the team will analyze large-scale patterns to predict where risk is likely to increase over time.

"We are designing a framework that we want to be completely transferable. While it will be geared toward our conditions here, the process can be used by other states with their own data sets," Combrink said.

Strengthening readiness and lessons from past outbreaks

A major focus of the project is statewide extension outreach, leveraging the expertise and relationships built by area livestock agents and building on the rapid response capacity provided by the Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team.

"We are going to be doing a lot of hands-on workshops to disseminate information and create a collaborative effort among all our stakeholders," said Katie Spanyers, a Cooperative Extension area agent serving Yavapai and Coconino counties.

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Training will include virtual reality simulations that allow participants to practice identifying infestations and collecting samples before encountering a real case.

The project will also utilize mobile livestock handling trailers equipped with portable corrals, squeeze chutes and New World screwworm inspection kits. The units will allow producers to safely restrain and examine animals during workshops and can be deployed to remote rangelands if an outbreak occurs.

Before New World screwworm was eradicated from the United States in the 1970s, ranchers, veterinarians and animal health professionals relied on constant monitoring, hands-on care and practical experience to manage outbreaks.

To preserve that knowledge, the team will conduct 50 oral histories and five focus groups across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to capture firsthand experiences related to animal care, ranch management and outbreak response. The collected insights will help inform modern preparedness strategies.

"The way we think about our approach goes back to the old saying, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'" Ganguli said. "If we can stay ahead of this, then we're saving not just money, but heartache as well."