Farmers fear pigs may get "swine" flu from people

[FarCenter]

KANSAS CITY, May 1, 2009 (Reuters) — Humans have it. Pigs don't. At least not yet, and U.S. pork producers are doing everything they can to make sure that the new H1N1 virus, known around the world as the "swine flu," stays out of their herds.

"That is the biggest concern, that your herd could somehow contract this illness from an infected person," said Kansas hog farmer Ron Suther, who is banning visitors from his sow barns and requiring maintenance workers, delivery men and other strangers to report on recent travels and any illness before they step foot on his property.

"If a person is sick, we don't want you coming anywhere on the farm," Suther said.

Those sentiments were echoed by producers around the nation this week as fears of a possible global flu pandemic grew, with more than 200 people sickened, including more than 100 in the United States, and at least 177 dead, all but one in Mexico.

"There is no evidence of this new strain being in our pig populations in the United States. And our concern very much is we don't want a sick human to come into our barns and transmit this new virus to our pigs," said National Pork Producers chief veterinarian Jennifer Greiner.

"If humans give it to pigs, we don't have things like Tamiflu for pigs. We don't have antivirals. We have no treatment other than to give them aspirin," said Greiner.

<snip> http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre5401dj-us-flu-hogs/

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. I picture pigs wearing little face masks.

[humblebum]

2. When pigs flu! nt

[theoldman]

3. If humans got the flu from pigs, the pigs are probably immune.

Drugs are tested on animals so Tamiflu should work on pigs. The hog farmer is spouting off without having enough knowledge about the problem.

[FarCenter]

9. The new flu virus probably originated in pigs in Mexico

So pigs in the United States wouldn't have any immunity to it.

Pigs wouldn't normally be bringing viruses from Mexico to the US, because, unlike people, pigs don't fly.

[kestrel91316]

11. You are the one incorrectly spouting off, but you are forgiven

because you lack sufficient knowlege and education to understand the situation.

This flu may in fact have arisen IN A SINGLE PIG ALONE SOMEWHERE and gone immediately into the human population, so you cannot possibly infer that the entire species has immunity to it, lol. People can and do give flu to pigs, and it's an expensive disaster when it happens.

Tamiflu is an expensive drug, not approved for use in food animals, and so cannot legally be used to treat pigs raised for food. If a farmer uses it off label and gets caught or residues are detected, you don't wanna know how much trouble he's in. And the meat gets condemned.

And yes, I am a veterinarian.

[Tashca]

12. Good information

I am going to ASSUME that this comes back to not using the same drugs on animals as humans?

I could see where a super bug could develop from something like that....

[kestrel91316]

21. This virus didn't arise from misuse of antiviral drugs.

Swine are perfect, natural test tubes for flu viruses to swap genetic material in because they have cell receptors for swine and human and avian flu viruses, and can be infected with all 3 at once.

Blame their basic biology and not human misconduct. Though I suspect factory farming conditions make this sort of thing more likely.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. I see... regulations of....factory farming coming

when all is said and done

[kestrel91316]

24. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Don't hold your breath.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. "spouting off without having enough knowledge about the problem. "

:rofl:

[Tashca]

4. This is definitely a concern

I know many people will joke about the possibility of this happening.

It is a large concern for producers that have their livelihoods at stake here. It appears there is nothing anyone can do to stop it if it comes into swine herds. If that happens....people will definitely stop eating pork.....obviously many have already.

[kestrel91316]

13. Lol, people sure will have to stop eating pork, because the herds

may very well have to be slaughtered and the meat condemned. There won't BE any pork to eat if that's the case.

[Tashca]

18. wow......I didn't think it through that far.

Your right.....there would be a massive slaughter to stop it....

[dysfunctional press]

5. how does he keep the mosquitos out?

isn't that also part of the chain?

[Maru Kitteh]

7. NO. It is not. You - and the pigs - will not get the flu from a mosquito bite

Influenza is not spread that way.

[dysfunctional press]

10. my mistake- i was thinking of west nile virus.

oops.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. They do know pigs do get the flu

and they also know the H1N1 is actually a piggy strain that jumped the species barrier... jeesus age!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maru Kitteh]

8. It doesn't stop Nadin! Help me! The stupid - IT HURTS.

:banghead:

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. STOOPID is terminal

[kestrel91316]

22. You think YOU have a headache?

[kestrel91316]

15. AVMA backgrounder on swine flu, from veterinary perspective:

http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/swine_bgnd.asp

[kestrel91316]

16. AVMA FAQs about swine flu:

http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/new_virus/new_flu_virus_faq.asp

[Tashca]

17. Thanks for posting...

This answers some questions I had......very informative.

[obliviously]

20. The other white meat

lives in fear!