Page 2 of articles about influenza in Articles

The author presents a review of the current situation of influenza in pigs to end with his doubts and comments on the effectiveness of control measures on the farm.

Influenza researchers are trying to stimulate antibody responses towards parts of the HA that are the least variable from strain to strain. One approach that seems promising is choosing two antigenically very different strains within the H1 or H3 subtype for the primary and subsequent booster vaccinations.

The farmer contacted the veterinary surgeon concerning an increase of respiratory distress and mortality in the finishing pigs during the previous 3 days.

Montse Torremorell speaks about different alternatives that are being explored to obtain live animal samples at a reasonable cost.

Exhibition pigs should be isolated from herd mates and observed for clinical signs of influenza for at least seven days after an exhibition to prevent transmission to pigs that did not attend the fair.

This case report highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to achieve a correct differential diagnosis.

In the wake of the so-called “swine flu” a European surveillance program was carried out in 2013-2015: H1N1pdm is present in several European countries, and at particularly high prevalence in Britain and Ireland.

The reasons behind the vaccination against influenza virus on a group of fattenig units with recurrent respiratory clinical pictures that belong to an integrated production system are discussed. Impact on production parameters and economic results are also shown.

In the United States, there are 17 genetic clades that have emerged and persisted following spillover events from non-swine (namely human) hosts and subsequent ecological and evolutionary processes

We are talking about PRRSV, M. hyo, PCV2, App and swine influenza virus.

Inactivated vaccines can be effective if used in conjunction with other practices, such as controlled movement of animals and people and with careful analysis of whether the vaccine antigen is a good antigenic match with the circulating strain.

Swine influenza viruses are diverse at genetic and antigenic level, resulting in a limited cross-reactivity in viruses sharing a common ancestor or belonging to a same subtype.

There are many open topics, such as: 1) what is the impact of the disease in endemic situations at the reproductive level (irregular return to estrus / fertility), especially in gilts; or 2) what is the productive impact in farrowing units, especially when we know that suckling piglets can play a role as a reservoir of the virus in an endemically infected farm.

Infectious outbreaks can last for more than a month at a population level, which explain that a new batch including mainly susceptible piglets can get infected if the animals are housed in a separate room but in the same compartment (airborne transmission).

Infection with swine influenza virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome during the suckling period was associated with an increase in post-weaning mortality (more limited in the case of SIV and of larger magnitude for PRRSV).

Pigs can act as a source of new influenza strains with zoonotic potential, but the increase of the genetic diversity of the swine influenza viruses is largely due to the introduction of influenza strains of human origin. Therefore, it is highly recommended that all staff that has frequent contact with pigs should be vaccinated against influenza.