More Industry News »

Pigs Can Carry Flu Virus
By Pork news source  |  Monday, November 28, 2005

Pigs could be holding basin for an influenza pandemic, according to researchers in the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

A team of U of I researchers led by Kendall Myers, a doctoral student in occupational and environmental health, and Gregory Gray, an epidemiology professor, found Iowa producers, veterinarians and meat-processing employees were more susceptible to catching swine influenza than people who didn’t work with pigs.

For this reason, anyone handling hogs should be monitored for exposure to swine influenza or other diseases passed from animals to humans, the researchers said in an article in the online edition of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

"Pigs have receptors to all influenza strains," says Myers. "They could be simultaneously infected with the bird strain (of influenza) and human strain. You could introduce a more lethal strain to humans."

The U of I study done from 2002 to 2004 examined 111 Iowa producers, 97 meat-processing employees, 65 veterinarians and 79 people who didn’t work with swine.

Research results indicate producers were most likely to have antibodies in their blood against swine flu, indicating a previous infection of the disease. Veterinarians and meat-processing employees also had elevated levels of antibodies when compared with the control group of people who did not work with pigs, the U of I reported.

Most cases of swine flu produce mild or no symptoms, notes Gray, and the virus is not passed to humans by eating pork. But the U of I researchers fear a new, more dangerous strain of flu could brew in swine and become a pandemic if passed to Iowa's 200,000 pork industry employees.

Researchers suggest creating a vaccination program and other health policies, such as wearing gloves and avoiding smoking, to control spread of the virus.

"Right now, swine workers are not included in the national pandemic plan, nor are they closely monitored for influenza," says Gray. "Should pandemic influenza virus strains enter the United States and these workers not be given special attention, we think it could be a really big problem for Iowa."

Associated Press/DM Register

Printer-friendly version

Email a friend

 


FEATURED SECTIONS


PCVAD Resource Center
Articles and resources to answer all your PCVAD questions - sponsored by Intervet


Live from WPX 2009
World Pork Expo was held June 3-5 in Des Moines, Iowa. Here are some of the highlights.


Crisis Management Resource Center
Many of you have questions, problems or challenges that need attention and assistance from experts who know the solutions ... and care.


Doane Resource Center
For more than 80 years, Doane Advisory Services has been in the business of helping U.S. agriculture stay in touch with prices, trends and other critical business information.


Genetics Resource Center
Welcome to the Genetics Resource Center — current news, research, resources and information about swine genetics.


PQA Plus Resource Center
Access information, news, podcasts, videos and more about PQA Plus, the pork industry’s quality assurance program.


H1N1 Influenza Updates
Health officials and NPPC stress pork's safety and request public to call it 'H1N1 Influenza.'


Young Pig Resources
Welcome to the Young Pig Resource Center — current news, research, resources and information about raising healthy young pigs


Web Exclusive
Are Stocks Or Farmland A Better Investment?
Imagine, if you will, that a relative passed away 40 or 50 years ago and left you a $1,000 bequest.