A horse in southern Texas has contracted the New World screwworm, making it the first equine infection in the US as health authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the flesh-eating parasite. Because apparently the phrase "flesh-eating parasite" needed a sequel.

The pest was found on the hind limb of a working ranch horse in Presidio county, according to a Thursday statement from the US Equestrian Foundation. The foundation, presumably choosing diplomacy over panic, advised horse owners to monitor their animals daily for wounds, foul odor or maggots.

For those unfamiliar with the screwworm: it's a fly larva that nestles into open wounds and infests them. The foundation's guidance reads like a horror movie checklist dressed up as equine husbandry: "Check horses daily, keep wounds clean and covered as directed by your veterinarian, use veterinarian-recommended fly control products and limit fly access with physical barriers such as fly masks, sheets and clean stabling practices when appropriate."

The Texas Animal Health Commission has restricted the movement of warm-blooded animals outside of infested zones in parts of Presidio and Jeff Davis counties, among several others, to curb new infestations. Warm-blooded, in this context, includes horses, cattle, and anyone who thought Texas was done making headlines.

After being eradicated decades ago, the screwworm was detected in June on a calf in Zavala county, near the US-Mexico border. A screwworm infestation has since spread throughout Mexico. Of the 49 US cases recorded this year, all have been in Texas, except for one in New Mexico, where the pest was found on a dog, according to the US Department of Agriculture. So the scoreboard currently reads: Screwworm 49, Texas 0.

The resurgence of the parasite, which can cause severe injury or death in animals, has raised alarm about potential financial devastation to Texas ranchers. Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, issued a disaster proclamation in June to mobilize state resources toward coping with the rising screwworm presence.

Before the pest was reported on American soil, the Trump administration announced the launch of a sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg. The strategy: if female screwworm flies mate with a sterile fly, their offspring will not be viable, thus curbing the population. It's the insect equivalent of a bad blind date that goes nowhere - except this one is actually the plan.