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For many older adults in Sussex County, Delaware, navigating the health care system can feel overwhelming and difficulty accessing care can create gaps in care that ultimately lead to poor health. To help older adults more easily meet their health needs and be successful in navigating the system, ChristianaCare has brought a variety of services to Sussex County that are specially designed for this population. These include ChristianaCare’s expanding My65+ primary care program, the Swank Center for Memory Care and ChristianaCare HomeHealth—all services that work collaboratively with seniors to help them achieve their best health based on their individual needs. Download Photos. ChristianaCare My65+ ChristianaCare My65+ provides specialized primary care services for people 65 and older. ChristianaCare’s My65+ services include medication management, annual Medicare visits, chronic disease management, coordination with specialists and additional consultation time with health care providers. These services are tailored to meet the specific health needs of seniors. “I can’t express enough how wonderful the My65+ program at ChristianaCare has been for me,” said Linda Martin of Rehoboth, a patient of the My65+ Program. “When they opened the practice in Rehoboth, it made getting the care I need much more convenient. I truly appreciate how the professionals at ChristianaCare take the time to understand my health and offer support for my mother’s care. They have a memory specialist on-site who provides expert care for my mother. It feels like I’m part of a caring community.” ChristianaCare My65+ is available at locations in Rehoboth Beach and at a new primary care practice in Milford, which began accepting My65+ patients in May. “ChristianaCare recognizes the importance of addressing the unique health care needs of our senior community. Our focus is on delivering care that prevents diseases, manages chronic conditions and improves overall well-being, especially for older adults,” said Priya Dixit-Patel, M.D., physician executive for Core and Advanced Primary Care at ChristianaCare. Swank Center for Memory Care Recognizing the significant impact that memory-related conditions can have on individuals and their families, ChristianaCare’s Swank Center for Memory Care serves as a source of hope and support for those dealing with these challenges. A dedicated team of geriatricians, nurses, social workers and other professionals collaborates with patients and their families to offer support, education and guidance throughout the diagnosis and treatment process. “ChristianaCare has consistently been at the forefront of providing excellent patient care, and the Swank Center for Memory Care is another opportunity for us to enhance support for people 65 and older,” said Steven Huege, M.D., MSEd, The Swank Foundation Endowed Chair in Memory Care and Geriatrics at ChristianaCare. “By designing care that meets the specific needs of older adults, we can create a better experience and achieve improved outcomes for everyone involved. This initiative is an important part of our overarching vision to provide every older adult with the best care possible.” The Swank Center was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the new Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, aimed at enhancing care coordination and access to services for those living with dementia and their caregivers. Key support services will include comprehensive assessments, care coordination, respite care, a 24/7 support line and education. With locations in Wilmington, Smyrna and Rehoboth, the Swank Center for Memory Care serves patients throughout Delaware and the surrounding region. ChristianaCare HomeHealth ChristianaCare HomeHealth provides a variety of nursing care for all ages in managing chronic conditions, adapting to new diagnoses, and improving daily living activities. It is the leading provider of in-home nursing care and assistance in Delaware. “ChristianaCare HomeHealth designs a plan of care that is personalized for those we serve,” said Donna Antenucci, MHA, BSN, RN, interim president, ChristianaCare HomeHealth. “Treating older adults in their own home is a privilege and brings comfort physically and emotionally to those served and their family. “It is truly rewarding for us as providers of home health services to enhance people’s quality of life and improve their overall well-being. We are truly honored to be a part of their journey to wellness and healing while respecting the dignity of those we serve.” These services are available throughout the entire state and provide comprehensive care through skilled nursing, home health aides, rehabilitative services, and medical social workers. Specially trained professionals offer home care, including physical and speech therapy, to help individuals live independently and safely. ChristianaCare HomeHealth began as a Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) in 1922 and now has more than 350 caregivers who serve patients throughout the state. Currently, there is an active daily census of about 1,500 patients. The service admits approximately 10,000 patients each year across the state. Meeting the Needs of Sussex County’s Rapidly Growing Population Sussex County has been designated as a “Medically Underserved Area” by the federal government, with projections showing that the population will increase from 237,000 in 2022 to over 361,000 by 2050, further intensifying the demand for primary care services. The providers at ChristianaCare’s new Milford location will play a crucial role in addressing the growing health care needs of Sussex County. “My65+ and Swank Center for Memory Care Services are unique programs in Sussex County that are greatly needed because of the growing senior population,” said Anthony Paul Buonanno, M.D., MBA, primary care physician at My65+ at Rehoboth Beach. “The health care infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the demand, and it is essential to provide health care services close to home for Delawareans. I am proud to be part of a program that is innovative, necessary and useful to my community.” While ChristianaCare primary care is a relative newcomer to Sussex County, ChristianaCare already has a large primary care network in northern Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Maryland.
Viqtory Media recognizes Georgia Southern University as a top military-friendly college
Georgia Southern University continues to be a leading institution in providing military-connected students with exceptional opportunities, earning the 2025-2026 Top Ten Military Friendly® distinction by Viqtory Media. The University achieved gold recognition for its support of military students, veterans and families as they pursue their academic and career goals. “At Georgia Southern, we are deeply committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of our military-connected students by providing them with a student-centered experience rooted in flexibility, support and excellence,” said Alejandra Sosa Pieroni, Ed. D., Executive Vice President for the Division of Enrollment, Marketing and Student Success. “This continued recognition as a Military Friendly School reflects the intentional work of our faculty and staff to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom, in their careers, and in life.” Georgia Southern is used to being named a Military Friendly School, having earned this distinction for 13 consecutive years. Military-connected students at Georgia Southern have access to a variety of services and flexible academic programs both on campus and online. Select graduate programs, including the MBA, are conveniently offered at the Army Education Centers on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. In addition, all three campuses and offices located at the Fort Stewart and Hunter Airfield Education Centers feature resource centers to assist military students, veterans and families. “Georgia Southern University is dedicated to providing the best service to our service members, Veterans and their families,” said William Gammon, director of Military and Veteran Services. “We consider it a privilege to serve this special student population. The continued recognition as a Military Friendly School is a testament to our dedication to our military services and their families.” The annual Military Friendly School list is compiled by Viqtory, a service-disabled, veteran-owned company, with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council, a group of independent experts in higher education and military recruitment. The list is published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Visit Georgia Southern’s website to learn more information about the Military and Veterans program: Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University and it's programming and support for military-connected students — simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Apanaskevichiella: Georgia Southern’s tick detective honored with genus classification
Dmitry Apanaskevich, Ph.D., doesn’t look like a traditional detective. He won’t be found chasing down clues in back alleys or interrogating shady characters in a dimly lit room. But he does have that inquisitive, investigative passion that fuels his unique work — serving as the assistant curator at the U.S. National Tick Collection, housed in Georgia Southern University’s Math/Physics Building on the Statesboro Campus. “I’ve been fascinated by animals my entire life,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to be a biologist.” That fascination gave birth to a decades-long career studying ticks, part of the Arachnida class, leading to a lifetime full of discovery and distinction. He was recently awarded one of the highest honors a biologist can receive: a newly recognized genus of soft ticks named Apanaskevichiella. The genus was discovered through advanced genomic work by world-renowned tick phylogeneticist Stephen Barker, Ph.D., of the University of Queensland. Barker is a long-time collaborator, and the naming of the newly discovered genus is his way of honoring Apanaskevich. “It has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise,” said Apanaskevich. “To have a genus named after me is already more than I ever expected. It means my work has made a lasting mark — and that’s a rare and humbling gift.” But his love for ticks came about accidentally. Apanaskevich received his education in Russia, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s at St. Petersburg State University. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. at the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. It was during this period of his life when his professors ignited what would become a decades-long fascination with the tiny arthropods. “In my early days as an undergrad, my professors had a major influence on me,” he explained. “The professor who offered the most interesting topic would win.” One day, a professor handed him a jar filled with mayflies, tasking him with describing each species. It was a request that would change his life forever. “He completely won me over with that,” said Apanskevich. “Discovering new species became my dream.” He became obsessed, spending hours glued to the microscope, developing a huge passion for tiny parasites. “Parasites like ticks might look like they’re small, but they’re quite large,” he explained. “That being said, you need to use a microscope when examining them, especially if you’re trying to find and identify those more minute details.” Finding and analyzing those small details is as much of an art as it is a science, he said. “You have to be able to see things that others can’t,” explained Apanaskevich. “You can provide objective data like measurements and comparisons all day, but the artistic, subjective part of this research is how the biologist can analyze and find connections between the thousands, even millions of specimens.” Ambition and curiosity have fueled his journey through the scientific world. But now, he has something else that makes him tick. “My kids are proud of it,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “They’re pretty proud of me. And really, that’s enough for me.” If you're interested in knowing more about the work Dmitry Apanaskevich is doing at Georgia Southern University or looking to speak with him — simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina hit the southeastern coast of the United States, devastating cities and towns across Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and beyond. The storm caused nearly 1,400 fatalities, displaced more than 1 million people and generated over $125 billion in damages. Rob Traver, PhD, P.E., D. WRE, F.EWRI, F.ASCE, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Villanova University, assisted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) investigation of the failure of the New Orleans Hurricane Protection System during Hurricane Katrina, and earned an Outstanding Civilian Service Medal from the Commanding General of USACE for his efforts. Dr. Traver reflected on his experience working in the aftermath of Katrina, and how the findings from the investigation have impacted U.S. hurricane responses in the past 20 years. Q: What was your role in the investigation of the failure of the New Orleans Hurricane Protection System? Dr. Traver: Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, USACE wanted to assess what went wrong with flood protections that had failed during the storm in New Orleans, but they needed qualified researchers on their team who could oversee their investigation. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), an organization I have been a part of for many years, was hired for this purpose. Our job was to make sure that USACE was asking the right questions during the investigation that would lead to concrete answers about the causes of the failure of the hurricane protection system. My team was focused on analyzing the risk and reliability of the water resource system in New Orleans, and we worked alongside the USACE team, starting with revising the investigation questions in order to get answers about why these water systems failed during the storm. Q: What was your experience like in New Orleans in the aftermath of the hurricane? DT: My team went down to New Orleans a few weeks after the hurricane, visited all the sites we were reviewing and met with infrastructure experts along the way as progress was being made on the investigation. As we were flying overhead and looking at the devastated areas, seeing all the homes that were washed away, it was hard to believe that this level of destruction could happen in a city in the United States. As we started to realize the errors that were made and the things that went wrong leading up to the storm, it was heartbreaking to think about how lives could have been saved if the infrastructure in place had been treated as one system and undergone a critical review. Q: What were the findings of the ASCE and USACE investigation team? DT: USACE focused on New Orleans because they wanted to figure out why the city’s levee system—a human-made barrier that protects land from flooding by holding back water—failed during the hurricane. The city manages pump stations that are designed to remove water after a rainfall event, but they were not well connected to the levee system and not built to handle major storms. So, one of the main reasons for the levee system failure was that the pump stations and levees were not treated as one system, which was one of the causes of the mass flooding we saw in New Orleans. Another issue we found was that the designers of the levee system never factored in a failsafe for what would happen if a bigger storm occurred and the levee overflowed. They had the right idea by building flood protection systems, but they didn’t think that a larger storm the size of Katrina could occur and never updated the design to bring in new meteorological knowledge on size of potential storms. Since then, the city has completely rebuilt the levees using these lessons learned. Q: What did researchers, scientists and the general population learn from Katrina? DT: In areas that have had major hurricanes over the past 20 years, it’s easy to find what went wrong and fix it for the future, so we don’t necessarily worry as much about having a hurricane in the same place as we’ve had one before. What I worry about is if a hurricane hits a new town or city that has not experienced one and we have no idea what the potential frailties of the prevention systems there could be. Scientists and researchers also need to make high-risk areas for hurricane activity in the United States known for those who live there. People need to know what their risk is if they are in areas where there is increased risk of storms and flooding, and what they should do when a storm hits, especially now with the changes we are seeing in storm size.
Are raw oysters safe to eat? A seafood expert has answers
Two people recently died in Louisiana after eating raw Gulf oysters contaminated with the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. Now that we have returned to the “r” months of autumn, a period historically considered safer to consume the mollusks on the half shell, seafood lovers are rightfully on edge about enjoying what many consider a saltwater delicacy. Evelyn Watts, a seafood extension specialist with the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant, has spent the better part of her adult life working with the seafood industry on the best ways to process and work through regulations about their catches. She wants to set the record straight about the safety of eating Gulf oysters throughout the year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vibrio is a type of bacteria that thrives in warm, brackish waters, especially between May and October. Watts said that while Louisiana is observing some above-average cases, it is important to remember that vibrio is a seasonal pathogen with most infection cases linked to wound exposure or ingestion. On July 31, the Louisiana Department of Health reported four deaths and 17 hospitalizations from vibrio infections this year. The number of hospitalizations had risen to 22 as of the last week of August. Watts emphasized safe handling and cooking of all Louisiana seafood. Thoroughly cooking oysters and other shellfish eliminates any vibrio risk, she said. “The Louisiana seafood industry follows strict safety protocols, including cold-chain management and traceability systems, which includes the use of tags,” she said. “The tag color indicates if harvest refrigeration times have been followed.” Watts said white-tagged oysters may be consumed raw while those with green tags must be sold for processing and cannot be purchased for raw consumption. “Restaurants are required to post consumer advisories about raw shellfish risks, especially for those with liver disease or weakened immune systems,” she said. “Consumers may purchase oysters either as shellstock — live molluscan shellfish still in the shell — or shucked, where the meat has been removed from the shell.” Watts explained that if consumers intend to purchase shellstock oysters for raw consumption, they must look for the white tag, which confirms the product has followed proper refrigeration protocols. This tag includes key information such as the harvester’s name, the dealer’s name and address, certification number, date of harvest and harvest location. Conversely, pre-shucked oysters or half-shell oysters sold in tubs, bags or trays — whether refrigerated or frozen — are not intended for raw consumption unless the label explicitly states otherwise. “While vibrio is more common in warmer months, it’s important to remember that it can be present year-round," Watts said. "The good news is that by staying informed and choosing properly cooked oysters, consumers can enjoy seafood safely in any season.” According to LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant economist Rex Caffey, oysters are the third-most lucrative seafood commodity in the state, behind shrimp and crab. Thus, the recent uptick in illnesses could adversely affect the state’s economy if the public isn’t properly informed on how to mitigate potential infections. “Louisiana is the national leader in oyster production and accounts for more than 75% of Gulf oyster landings,” Caffey said. “The value of Louisiana’s oyster crop has varied in recent years, with an average of $65 million annually from 2022 to 2024.” For additional information about oysters as it relates to handling and production, Watts suggests visiting https://louisianadirectseafood.com/oyster/. Article originally posted here
Are you ready for some football?
From its modest beginnings in the late 19th century to becoming America’s most-watched sport, professional football has not only entertained generations but also transformed communities, economies, and culture. Today, the National Football League (NFL) stands as a global brand, symbolizing both the triumphs and tensions of American life. Early Beginnings Professional football took root in the 1890s, when athletic clubs in Pennsylvania began paying players under the table. In 1920, a group of teams formed the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the NFL in 1922. Early decades were marked by instability, but the league grew steadily, and by the 1950s, with the rise of television, football began capturing national attention. The 1958 NFL Championship Game—dubbed the “Greatest Game Ever Played”—cemented football as America’s sport of the future, setting the stage for the AFL-NFL rivalry of the 1960s and the eventual Super Bowl, first played in 1967. Economic Impact Football is now one of the most powerful economic engines in American sports. The NFL generates more than $18 billion annually, with billions flowing into local economies through stadium construction, tourism, and broadcasting rights. Super Bowl weekend alone can inject hundreds of millions of dollars into host cities. The game has also reshaped industries—from sports broadcasting and advertising to fantasy leagues and legalized sports betting. It drives sponsorships, merchandise sales, and jobs connected to media, hospitality, and infrastructure. Social and Cultural Significance Football’s reach extends beyond the field. It has served as a stage for some of America’s most important social conversations—from racial integration in the 1940s, to gender roles in sports media, to the modern debates over player safety and activism. Figures like Jackie Robinson in baseball broke barriers, but in football, trailblazers such as Kenny Washington (first African American to reintegrate the NFL in 1946) helped reshape opportunity and inclusion. In more recent years, high-profile advocacy by players on issues ranging from racial justice to mental health has placed the sport squarely in the middle of national debates. At the same time, concerns about concussions and long-term health risks have fueled public dialogue on workplace safety and medical ethics, echoing issues seen across many industries. A Lasting Legacy Football is more than a game. It has become a unifying tradition—whether through Friday night lights in small towns, college rivalries that galvanize entire states, or Super Bowl Sunday as an unofficial national holiday. Its economic and cultural significance continues to expand, reflecting both America’s passion for competition and its ongoing social evolution. Connect with our experts about the history and significance of professional football in America: Check out our experts here : www.expertfile.com
Behind the image of a horse brain cell infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) lies a sobering truth: this mosquito-borne virus is far more lethal than commonly understood, and pathologists, virologists, and researchers at LSU Diagnostics are working to better understand and fight it. EEE is found in the eastern, Gulf Coast and north-central regions of the United States, as well as parts of Central and South America and the Caribbean. Horses in areas with dense mosquito populations—such as swamps, coastal marshes, and coves—are at greater risk of contracting the virus. The sedentary “black tail mosquito” (Culiseta melanura) primarily transmits the virus to birds. However, other very active common mosquito species, referred to as "bridge vectors," can transmit the virus from birds to mammals such as humans and horses. "As the summer goes on, we typically have more positive cases as the temperature goes up," says Alma Roy, Ph.D. (LSU 2000), interim director of LSU Diagnostics. Louisiana is no stranger to West Nile virus, but Roy says LSU Diagnostics is seeing an unusual uptick in EEE this year. Though most common in horses, the disease can also strike humans, leading to deadly brain inflammation. In horses, it may cause inflammation of both the brain and the heart. "Necropsy and serological testing at LSU Diagnostics have confirmed at least fourteen positive cases in horses thus far. It's early in the year to see this many. We're seeing some West Nile, but more EEE than West Nile," Roy said. Horses are especially vulnerable to EEE, with mortality rates ranging from 75% to 90%. Survivors frequently suffer lasting neurological damage. Humans fare somewhat better, but the disease remains serious—about 30% of people who develop severe EEE die from the infection. "Many survive a West Nile virus infection, but EEE can be unforgiving. Be careful," warns Dr. Fabio Del Piero, pathologist at LSU Diagnostics and professor at LSU Vet Med. Since treatment is limited and mostly supportive, prevention is critical. Every day, LSU Diagnostics works to make that prevention possible. Roy reminds the public that vaccination and mosquito bite prevention are key: "Horses can be vaccinated. We encourage animals to be vaccinated for EEE and West Nile virus. And for humans, of course, it's the prevention of mosquito bites.” EEE is one of several life-threatening diseases diagnosed by LSU Diagnostics. Our team provides rapid, accurate disease detection through tissue and fluid testing as well as post-mortem diagnostics. LSU Diagnostics also supports statewide mosquito-virus surveillance to protect both animals and people. Together, LSU Diagnostics and LSU Vet Med play a critical role in diagnosing and responding to threats like EEE and West Nile virus — for the health of horses, livestock, wildlife, and the people who care for them. Original article posted here.
Start changing your phone habits with Offline.now
WHY THIS MATTERS Changing your relationship with a phone is hard. We see it at home and at work, across generations. Shame and all-or-nothing fixes don’t last. Offline.now focuses on practical tools and plain-language guidance people can act on today. WHAT OFFLINE.NOW OFFERS Homepage: take the 2-question quiz - clarifies where you are in your journey to change phone habits. Expert Directory - human support from therapists, coaches, counsellors, social workers, and specialists trained in everything from doomscrolling and nomophobia to online dating burnout and notification overload. Digital Balance Hub - quick guides and explainers you can act on today. HOW THE OFFLINE.NOW MATRIX HELPS Our intuitive Offline.now Matrix assessment tool presents four quadrants - Overwhelmed, Ready, Stuck, and Unconcerned - each offering practical real-world strategies to help people move towards their goals. STORY ANGLES FOR JOURNALISTS The two-question start: a practical way to change phone habits Doomscrolling isn’t a willpower problem - match the fix to the person From screen-time shame to personal progress: small-wins that stick Night routines that hold: what changes when people start in the right quadrant Parents, teens, and teams: a common language for digital balance INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY Eli Singer, Founder & CEO of Offline.now - pioneered early social strategy for Coca-Cola, Ford, and MoMA; published in Harvard Business Review; lead researcher on The Power of the 2×2 Matrix. See Eli’s profile for full bio and contact. FOR PRACTITIONERS Experts are invited to join the Offline.now directory.
This strategic move aligns with LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, where energy is one of five core focus areas for research critical to the future of Louisiana and the nation. It also builds on the successes of LSU’s Institute for Energy Innovation, Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana Geological Survey, and the LSU-led FUEL team while assuming a leadership role in how the university engages with its partners—industry, communities, donors, and state and federal agencies—through collaboration and service. “As Louisiana’s flagship research university, LSU is committed to organizing our efforts in ways that maximize impact and reflect institutional priorities,” said Robert Twilley, LSU vice president of research and economic development. “The LSU Energy Institute will provide a platform for faculty across multiple colleges and disciplines to collaborate on solutions to Louisiana’s most pressing energy and environmental challenges.” The LSU Energy Institute will unify and expand several longstanding programs, chiefly the Center for Energy Studies, the Louisiana Geological Survey, and a range of externally funded initiatives, including cutting-edge energy research catalyzed by the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation through a dedicated $25 million investment from Shell. This results-focused realignment reflects a broader effort across LSU to improve coordination between strategic research projects and teams with increased support from research centers, institutes, and core facilities. As LSU’s flagship unit in the energy domain, the Energy Institute will enhance the university’s ability to align interdisciplinary research and policy with Louisiana’s energy economy and environmental stewardship goals. “The reorganization of LSU energy efforts into this institute reflects both a long-standing legacy of service and a renewed vision for the future of energy research in Louisiana. It’s about building on 40 years of trusted work while expanding our capacity to innovate, support decisionmakers, and serve the people of our state, said Greg Upton, interim director of the LSU Energy Institute and executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies. The LSU Energy Institute will serve as a central hub for faculty, students, industry, and public agencies working at the intersection of energy technology, resource economics, environmental protection, and policy. The integration of the Louisiana Geological Survey will further reinforce the university’s role in providing critical data and analysis to support state planning and hazard assessment. The institute will also continue to seed competitive, high-quality research focused on energy systems resilience, carbon management, and economic opportunity. These investments reflect LSU’s broader vision to translate research into impact and fuel new jobs and technologies to power Louisiana’s future. Original article posted here.
LSU Expert Christine Navarre on the Threat of New World Screwworms
The New World screwworm (NWS), also known as the primary screwworm, is the larvae of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax. Unlike the larvae (maggots) of other flies that only feed on dead tissue, the NWS feeds on live tissue. This leads to more severe and potentially deadly consequences which threatens livestock and wildlife populations. Prior to their eradication form the United States, NWS were a major economic burden to the production of livestock, especially in the in the southwestern U.S. and Florida. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the U.S. livestock industry saves approximately $900 million a year as a result of NWS eradication. Other benefits of eradication and control are enhanced human and animal health and welfare and increased survival of endangered wild animal species. The NWS fly was eradicated from the U.S. in 1966 with the release of sterile male flies to control the population. This status is maintained through the Panama-U.S. Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of the Cattle Borer Worm (COPEG) which releases millions of sterile flies weekly along the Panama-Colombia border to create a barrier preventing the northward spread of screwworms. Due to these efforts, it is now found primarily in tropical areas of South America and some Caribbean Islands, including Cuba. In 2016 NWS were found in Key Deer in the Florida Keys. The source of the outbreak was never determined. Rapid recognition of the problem and response with the release of sterile flies quickly eradicated the problem but this incident illustrates the importance of remaining vigilant. In November, NWS was detected in Mexico near the Guatemala border. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has imposed immediate import restrictions on animal commodities from Mexico. They are also intensifying efforts to prevent the northward spread of NWS by collaborating with Mexican and Central American authorities and urging livestock producers along the southern U.S. border to monitor their livestock and pets for signs of NWS. Any suspected cases should be reported immediately. Clinical Signs NWS can infest any warm-blooded animal including livestock, pets, wildlife, birds and occasionally humans. Common sites of infestation are any fresh or old wounds, warts, tumors, tick bites and antlers in shedding. Wounds left from management procedures, such as dehorning, branding, ear tagging, tail docking and shearing, can become infested. The eyes, nose, vulva and prepuce are also vulnerable, as well as the umbilicus in newborn mammals. Animals infested with NWS may show the following signs: Presence of maggots in wounds or body openings Wounds with a foul odor, bloody drainage or white/cream-colored drainage (eggs) Depression, reduced appetite, weight loss Isolation and/or signs of discomfort, head shaking Fever and other signs of secondary infection Diagnosis and Reporting Maggots found on animals showing the above clinical signs should be sent to a veterinarian or veterinary diagnostic lab for identification to distinguish NWS larvae from other more common fly larvae. In Louisiana larvae can be sent to the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (www.lsu.edu/vetmed/laddl). Larvae should be placed in 70% alcohol for submission to the diagnostic laboratory. It is very important to immediately report any NWS infestations to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. A reported case will not result in herd depopulation but will allow animal health officials to take steps to help you manage your animals and prevent spread. Early detection and rapid response are critical to controlling this parasite. Treatment Immediate veterinary care should be sought to remove larvae and properly treat with insecticides. Wound care is also important to speed healing and prevent reinfestation. Prevention Treatment of NWS can be difficult, and eradication is very costly, so prevention of infestations is essential. Adult NWS flies can travel up to 12 miles to lay eggs, and eggs can be transported by animals and people traveling from infested areas. This necessitates constant vigilance to ensure that reintroduction into the U.S. does not occur. Preventative steps include: Regularly inspect livestock and pets for cuts, wounds, scabs and tick infestations. Closely monitor the umbilicus of newborn livestock, vulva of females and prepuce of males. Use insect repellant and wound dressings to prevent fly strike. Report any unusual wildlife or bird deaths to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries. Pay close attention to nasal passages and eyes for signs of larvae (maggot) infestation. Seek veterinary advice for immediate treatment of open wounds, including dehorning and castration sites and preventive use of topical and systemic insecticides. Review biosecurity plans with the farm or ranch veterinarian. Original article by the LSU AgCenter here.
