The parasite — the larvae of the new world screwworm fly — can devastate cattle herds and is rife in parts of Central America.

A rare case of travel-related New World screwworm was identified in Maryland in a patient who traveled from El Salvador, a spokesman from the US Department of Health and Human Services said.

A person in Maryland was recently infected by the flesh-eating New World screwworm after traveling to El Salvador, US health officials confirmed this week.