Flesh-Eating Worms Are Back—And They’re Eating People Alive
A horrifying parasitic threat, once thought to be nearly eradicated, is making a disturbing return: flesh-eating worms. These organisms, known to invade human flesh and cause gruesome, life-threatening wounds, have re-emerged in regions where they were previously controlled or eliminated. Medical experts and public health officials are now sounding the alarm about this gruesome phenomenon that is quite literally eating people alive.
🪱 What Are Flesh-Eating Worms?
The term « flesh-eating worms » often refers to the New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax), a parasitic fly species whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Unlike maggots that typically consume dead flesh, screwworm larvae burrow into live flesh—causing massive tissue destruction.
The lifecycle begins when the female fly lays her eggs in open wounds, cuts, or mucous membranes. Once hatched, the larvae begin eating the host from the inside out. If untreated, the infestation can lead to secondary infections, systemic illness, and even death.
