Genome of the Myiasis-Causing Fly <i>Chrysomya bezziana</i>, the Old-World Screwworm

Chrysomya bezziana, the Old-World Screwworm, is a parasitic blowfly that causes myiasis, an infestation where larvae feed on live tissues of vertebrate hosts. Myiasis caused by C. bezziana poses a threat for public health and livestock economy in Asia with a potential risk of global spread by human travelers and animals. Genome resources for this parasite are urgently needed as these can facilitate the development of novel control methods to mitigate the impact of C. bezziana on public health and livestock industries. Here, we present the first genome assembly and annotation for C. bezziana. The genome exhibits high-quality with a size of 472 Mb and an N50 of 1.8 Mb and 98.4% of BUSCO single and 0.5% of duplicated genes, showing high completeness and haploid resolution. This initiative, when combined with other blowfly genomes available, will contribute to the ongoing effort to understand the evolutionary origin and molecular underpinnings of parasitic behavior in blowflies. Furthermore, it will also contribute to the development of pest management strategies to control the spread and the impact of this harmful parasite.