North-American Influenza - Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)
Can humans catch swine flu? How common is swine flu infection in humans? Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?...
Page 16 of articles about influenza
North-American Influenza - OIE position on safety of international trade of pigs and products of pig origin
Because the current A/H1N1 related human health event has been described as swine influenza, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) wishes to further clarify the facts from the animal health perspective, particularly in relation to international trade of pigs and of products of pig origin. The OIE also points out that it will continue to respond to new, incoming information as the situation evolves.
North-American Influenza - USA: Commodity markets retreat on swine flu fears
U.S. commodity markets retreated Monday in part on fears related to the outbreak of swine flu, potential reduced pork consumption and the banning of pork imports from the United States by Russia, China and other countries, although there have been no reports of the virus in U.S. swine.
North-American human influenza
It is produced by a virus with genetic material from porcine, human and avian viruses which has shown the ability unusually for such a virus to transmit from human to human. The virus appears to have 2 of 8 gene segments that derive from eurasian swine viruses. The NA and matrix genes of the new virus have not been seen in humans or pigs before.
Swine influenza: epidemiology and emergence of new viruses
The first swine influenza viruses were all H1N1 and were for about 60 years in North America. In the middle 1980’s, there appeared in European pigs H3N2 viruses that were derived originally from humans and had adapted to pigs and were therefore known as human-like H3N2 viruses. These viruses have since appeared in other parts of the world most notably as H3N2 in the USA in 1998. These viruses however contained bits of human, avian and swine viruses and were therefore called triple re-assortants.
North-American Influenza - A/H1N1 influenza like human illness in Mexico and the USA: OIE statement
Any current information in influenza like animal disease in Mexico or the USA could support a link between human cases and possible animal cases including swine. The virus has not been isolated in animals to date. Therefore, it is not justified to name this disease swine influenza. In the past, many human influenza epidemics with animal origin have been named using their geographic name, eg Spanish influenza or Asiatic influenza, thus it would be logical to call this disease “North-American influenza”.
North-American Influenza - German pig prices fall 3.5 pct on swine flu fears
German pig futures prices fell by around 3.5 percent on Monday because of fears that bad publicity about swine fever will cut pork consumption, traders said.
North-American Influenza - WHO raises pandemic alert level
The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.
The WHO Director-General has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4.
North-American Influenza - Some countries suspend U.S. pork imports
The Russian government has suspended imports of all meat from Mexico as well as Texas, California and Kansas shipped after April 21 on fears of the spread of swine flu. In addition, China has banned pork imports from Mexico and the U.S. states of Texas, Kansas and California.
WHO - Swine flu illness in the United States and Mexico
As of 26 April 2009, the United States Government has reported 20 laboratory confirmed human cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 and the Government of Mexico has reported 18 laboratory confirmed cases of swine influenza A/H1N1.
Canada - Government of Canada is working closely with provinces and territories and international partners to address Swine Flu
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg has confirmed four cases of A, H1N1 swine flu from Nova Scotia. The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control identified two additional cases from British Columbia. All six cases are same strain of human swine influenza that has been found in the U.S. and Mexico. These first cases were detected as a result of the increased surveillance the federal government initiated with the provinces and territories and health professionals given concerns over the spread of swine flu in Mexico and the United States.
USA - Pork producers should protect herds from flu outbreak
The National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board are urging all pork producers to take steps to prevent their pigs from contracting swine influenza.
Australia - Swine flu unlikely to reach Australian animals
The Australian Veterinary Association says the international swine flu outbreaks not a threat to Australian pigs and that eating pork poses no human health risk.
The AVA is not concerned about an outbreak among pigs here in Australia.
Epidemiolology and control of swine influenza
Considering the current situation we are reproducing an article by Tom Alexander previously published by 3tres3.com on 30/dec/2005.
A key factor in the epidemiology of influenza is the ability of the virus to mutate or, when cells are infected by two different strains, to recombine to produce new viruses. Either of these genetic changes results in the repeated appearance of new strains with different immunogenic structures and/or virulence, including their ability to infect different hosts.
Mexico - Sixty swine flu fatalities In Mexico
A rare outbreak of human swine flu has killed at least 60 people in Mexico and spread to the United States where authorities are on alert, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.
Current sanitary problems in the United States
The focus of swine production in the USA has changed over the last five years. Many businesses in the sector have made radical changes in management both from the reproductive and the sanitary point of view.