Facts And Comments From A Veterinary Perspective About The Influenza Virus Strain First Identified In Mexico

Main Category: Swine Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Veterinary;  Public Health
Article Date: 29 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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On this page we provide facts and comments from a veterinary perspective about the influenza virus strain first identified in Mexico

Facts

• there is no current evidence of the virus being a danger to pets


• this virus type does not appear to be present in the UK pig population so any concerns that people have about contact with live pigs is unfounded


• the WHO has made it clear that there is no risk of contracting infection from eating pig meat


• although the virus is referred to as 'swine flu', so far, this virus type has not been isolated in pigs anywhere, it appears to be a human strain


• surveillance of the animal population remains critical: should the virus start appearing in animals, the regional and global situation for public health could worsen


• pig vaccine studies are on-going in the US
  
  

Veterinary comments

BVA President Nicky Paull said "This is now a human influenza virus. The veterinary surgeons role in public health is key in this issue both with ongoing surveillance of the UK pig population but also in assisting through laboratory work and the expertise we have in identifying viral types.

"We have amazing facilities in the UK, for instance at Weybridge, the laboratories there will be working on this. The veterinary profession will be working on this alongside the public health scientists because of the expertise that we already have in identifying influenza in animals. So they will be looking at the fine-tuning and at the genetic make-up of these viruses."

"Further, the veterinary professions' daily contact with clients will enable us to reassure a large percentage of the public regarding any concerns they may have about pig health or any risk to their animals."

Dr Steven McOrist from the BVA's specialist branch the Pig Veterinary Society added "British veterinary groups have a responsibility, besides surveillance of our pigs' health and reassurance on food quality, to ensure that our main efforts are to work to prevent the introduction of this virus into the UK pig population. We therefore fully support all public health warnings and advice to contain the spread of the new human flu virus.

"While the new strain of human flu virus does contain some elements of swine flu strains, it has never been isolated from any pig in Mexico or the USA. There are no current reports of any significant swine flu issues in Mexican or US pigs. The actual 're-assortment vessel' where the new human strain developed is therefore not yet clear, it may have been in pigs or in wild fowl, poultry or humans."

Find out more

- Members can access a short briefing document for veterinary surgeons (prepared by the Pig Veterinary Society)
- Health Protection Agency
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Source
British Veterinary Association

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