The UN Food and AgricultureOrganization is calling for strict bio-security measures for pigs for any evidenceof respiratory illness. However, it is not calling for the slaughter of theanimals. The announcement follows the discovery of the A-H1N1 virus in pigs inCanada, which apparently was transmitted to the animal by a person.
Ifthere are signs of respiratory illness, there should be a restriction on themovement of pigs, good and people on those farms or facilities until adiagnosis of the illness is made. Joseph Domenech, the FAO's chief veterinaryofficer, says the human-to-animal transmission of the flu virus does not comeas a surprise.
"So,what does it mean? It means that the virus, which is a new virus?can infectpigs. But this unique case is showing that it's not very pathogenic. (causinginfectious disease) and maybe not also as contagious as the other influenzaviruses in swine. In Canada, the herd is showing about 10 percent of animalshaving clinical signs only with very mild signs. And after two or three days,all have recovered," he says.
However,precautions should be taken and surveillance increased to see whether theA-H1N1 virus spreads to other farms and then back to people. He says that couldaffect the epidemiology (health factors) of the human pandemic.
Farmswith infected pigs would basically be placed under quarantine. "Then you stophaving (the) possibility to have spread the virus from the farm to other farms.It means concretely, first of all, you have to prevent people from entering orgoing out of the farm without any control and for the goods as well," he says.
The FAO adds that "persons who workdirectly with swine should not go to work if they have any signs of respiratorydisease, fever or any influenza-like illness. Again, the FAO stress "there isabsolutely no need to slaughter animals in view of preventing circulation ofthe A-H1N1 virus."