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Swine Flu

The PR staff can assist print and broadcast journalists with background information, facts and figures, publications, interviews with faculty experts, photographs, B-roll, and whatever else is required for an interesting, accurate report.

Quick Facts

  • There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.
  • This virus is not known to be in U.S. pigs.
  • The virus is currently transmitting person to person and does not involve pigs for transmission. The pathogenesis of this virus in pigs is unknown.
  • The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) and National Animal Disease Center (NADC) will be evaluating the current diagnostic tests and conducting challenge studies in pigs to determine the virus’ virulence and clinical presentation in pigs.
Spread the word, not the flu

UGA's Response

  • View UGA's H1N1 and seasonal flu recommendations
  • The College's two veterinary diagnostic laboratories (Athens and Tifton) are fully capable of testing swine samples (swabs and serum samples) for the virus. Validated assays are available and we have the capability of handling multiple animal samples. We cannot conduct testing on any human samples.
  • The laboratory of Veterinary College faculty member Ralph Tripp, PhD, is one of six Regional Centers of Excellence of Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS). They are tasked with responding to national and international crises.
  • The laboratories are located in the Animal Health Research Center (AHRC) on campus and have state-of-the-art biocontainment, i.e the labs have the capacity to run at biosafety 2 (BSL2), BSL3 or BSL3 enhanced for agricultutral pathogens.
  • The laboratories have capacity to study large and small animal models of infection simultaneously, i.e. studies in mice, ferrets, and swine for H1N1.
  • We are preparing to receive the H1N1 swine flu strain from the CDC to study transmission in animal models, immunity to infection, disease pathogenesis, and test anti-viral strategies.
  • Currently, the CDC is recommending BSL2 containment plus enhanced personal protection attire and respirators for studies with the virus. We will work per CDC recommendations.

Swine Flu Links

More Information

  • The WHO Director-General decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4. This indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable.
  • There is no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.
  • The initial mortality rates in Mexico are being offset by the additional identifiction of confirmed mild cases of flu.
  • The suspected death toll from the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico is 149 people as of Monday April 27, 2009. Since the first case of swine flu was reported, 1995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia, and 1070 of these people have been released. Twenty of the deaths so far have been confirmed as swine flu, but only 2 laboratories in the country are able to confirm this new strain.
  • The apparent predominant circulating strain in the United States is an H1N1 variety (H1N1/Cal/04/09).
    • The hemagglutinin (HA) gene allowing for virus attachment to respiratory epithelial cells is believed to be from swine as is the neuraminidase (NA) gene which allows for virus release from infected cells. The internal genes, i.e. PB genes, appear to be tripartate, i.e. from swine, avian and human origin.
  • Laboratory testing has found the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir.
  • Department Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared a public health emergency in the United States. This will allow funds to be released to support the public health response. CDC's goals during this public health emergency are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to the public. assist health care providers, public health officials and the public.

Swine Influenza and Food Safety

USDA Issues SIV Statement and Requests Case Reports

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued a statement expressing his concern regarding the recent swine influenza outbreak and reassured the public that pork continues to be safe to eat.

In his http://www.usda.gov/2009/04/0130.xml statement, Secretary Vilsack states that "swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all viruses and other foodborne pathogens." The virus is not known to be present in the U.S. swine herd.

Visit the AASV homepage http://www.aasv.org for information on the swine influenza situation. There you will find some key points for veterinarians, background information on SIV and producer recommendations as well as the complete text of Sec. Vilsack's statement.

 

This page was last updated September 4, 2009.

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