(Factsheet) 58-2 
(Factsheet) 75-2 (Factsheet) 74-1
Old World Screw Worm Fly (Chrysomya bezziana)
Last reviewed October 2005
Australian Situation
Old World Screw Worm Fly (SWF) has never become established in Australia.
An early warning system has been established in high-risk areas for entry of Old World SWF into Australia as part of the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy. This system employs targeted quarantine surveillance, education, and a regular fly trapping program. Particular care is also taken to prevent the entry of Old World SWF with returning livestock vessels.
This disease is nationally notifiable in Australia. Please consult the National Notifiable Disease List for further information.
An 'AUSVETPLAN Disease Strategy Manual' outlining control measures to be taken in the event of an outbreak of this disease is available in the AUSVETPLAN section of this website.
Disease Summary
Old World SWF are obligate parasites of warm-blooded animals, including humans. SWF myiasis can cause serious production losses to livestock industries.
The OIE website provides a link to a ‘Disease Card’ providing further information.
World Distribution
Old World SWF occurs throughout much of tropical and subtropical Africa, some countries of the Middle East along the Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and Papua New Guinea. The fly is prevalent throughout mainland Papua New Guinea, except at altitudes of more than 2500m above sea level, and high population densities of SWF have been found in the coastal swamplands adjacent to Torres Strait. The fly is also present in New Ireland and New Britain.
More information on this OIE-listed disease, including worldwide disease status and distribution, is available on the OIE Website and the World Animal Health Information Database (WAHID) website.
Surveillance Statistics
Surveillance statistics can be viewed in the tables below:
Table 1: NAQS screw-worm fly trapping
Surveillance for screw-worm flies at ports
| Quarter | Jan-Mar 2009 | Apr-Jun 2009 | Jul-Sep 2009 | Oct-Dec 2009 | Jan-Mar 2010 |
| State | | | | | |
| NT | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Qld | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| SA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WA | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Total | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 |
