FAST FACTS
H1N1-NORTH AMERICAN INFLUENZA FACTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
April 27, 2009
Recent media attention has centered on the H1N1-North American Influenza virus that has recently been implicated in causing illness in the US and Mexico. (The flu virus spreading around the world should not be called “Swine flu” as it also contains avian and human components.) Please see information distributed from National Pork Board below. At this point, there are several key facts to remember:
1. This virus has been mis-named. To this point it has not been found in pigs anywhere – only people.
2. Pork is safe to eat – you cannot get this new strain of virus from eating meat/pork.
3. This virus has not been found in pigs to date. It is not present in the US swine population.
4. So far all human cases have been linked to Mexico or travel to Mexico.
5. Transmission is human to human. Frequent hand washing and other personal hygiene practices are encouraged.
In addition, this virus could be shed from people to pigs. We do not want this virus introduced into the US swine population or transmitted to other people.
Recommendations:
- Avoid travel to Mexico at the present time.
- Practice frequent hand washing and good personal hygiene.
- If people have flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea strongly encourage them to seek medical attention and ask them to not to come to work until 3 days after their symptoms resolve.
- Do not allow any international visitors to your farm until further notice.
If you have questions, please contact a PVC swine vet, visit
pipestonesystem.com, or visit one of the links attached below.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified cases in the United States where people have been diagnosed with a form of influenza virus known as swine influenza virus subtype H1N1. That is the same virus causing human illness in Mexico.
Swine influenza virus not in pork
According to the CDC, swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.
Not found in pigs
The swine influenza subtype isolated from these cases is unique. It has not been found in U.S. pigs and had not been previously recognized in people. According to the CDC, “This virus is different, very different from that found in pigs.” At this time there is no evidence that this swine influenza subtype is present in pigs in the United States or anywhere in the pig herd in the world. The CDC’s investigation continues.
Transmission of the virus
The CDC has determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from humans to humans. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
Additional resources:
The National Pork Board is collaborating with the CDC and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide information on swine influenza. Information on influenza can be found in the fact sheet, “INFLUENZA: Pigs, People and Public Health” available at www.pork.org/PorkScience/Documents/PUBLICHEALTH%20influenza.pdf
The CDC provides updated information at http://cdc.gov/swineflu/.
Pork industry information will be updated at www.pork.org as information becomes available.
· USDA summary of frequently asked questions - www.usda.gov/2009/04/0131.xml
www.youtube.com/porkcheckoff
North American Flu Soundbites
FREE-RANGE TRICHINOSIS
Is free-range pork better and safer to eat than conventional pork? Many consumers think so.
(View article from New York Times)