In a significant development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Wednesday that the first confirmed case of H5N1 avian influenza in a pig within the United States has been found.
The infected pig was part of the backyard farm that had a mix of poultry and livestock, and did not show any signs of illness, as per the press release. However, when tested as a precautionary measure along with four other swine, it was found to be positive. In total, five pigs were tested out of which two were negative, while two still have pending results.
"The livestock and poultry on this farm shared water sources, housing and equipment; in other states, this combination has enabled transmission between species," the release noted.
The USDA said the farm in a non-commercial operation and not connected to commercial food supply. IT added that it did not have any bearing on the safety of the nation's pork supply. The farm has been placed under quarantine to contain bird flu spread to others.
Experts warn that pigs, known as "mixing vessels" for flu strains, could pose new risks if the virus adapts for human transmission. This is because pigs are susceptible to both human and avian influenza. The farm is under quarantine as health officials ramp up surveillance efforts.
"There can be several different kinds of flu in swine at any given time, and they can exchange genetic material, creating new strains," Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health told Fox News.
Siegel noted that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, though mild involved a swine flu, adding that, "continued spread in the pig population would concern me."
According to Scientific American (SciAmA), a flu virus’s genetic material is made up of eight RNA segments and when more than one virus infect the same cell and replicate, they can swap these segments, and produce one of 256 possible combinations. This can create a virus having features of both parent viruses, which could make it more transmissible.
Considering the uptick in both farm animals and humans cases of the bird flu, concerns are being raised about the possibility of a wider outbreak.
With flu season approaching, it's important to vaccinate the cattle to limit spread and also prevent human infections.
Symptoms of bird fluHigh temperature, chills, myalgia, body pain, cough and cold, and shortness of breath are some of the symptoms of bird flu. One can also experience gastronomical symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, sickness, chest pain, nose and gum bleeding, and conjunctivitis. The early symptoms are likely to appear after 3-5 days of exposure.
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The infected pig was part of the backyard farm that had a mix of poultry and livestock, and did not show any signs of illness, as per the press release. However, when tested as a precautionary measure along with four other swine, it was found to be positive. In total, five pigs were tested out of which two were negative, while two still have pending results.
"The livestock and poultry on this farm shared water sources, housing and equipment; in other states, this combination has enabled transmission between species," the release noted.
The USDA said the farm in a non-commercial operation and not connected to commercial food supply. IT added that it did not have any bearing on the safety of the nation's pork supply. The farm has been placed under quarantine to contain bird flu spread to others.
Experts warn that pigs, known as "mixing vessels" for flu strains, could pose new risks if the virus adapts for human transmission. This is because pigs are susceptible to both human and avian influenza. The farm is under quarantine as health officials ramp up surveillance efforts.
"There can be several different kinds of flu in swine at any given time, and they can exchange genetic material, creating new strains," Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health told Fox News.
Siegel noted that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, though mild involved a swine flu, adding that, "continued spread in the pig population would concern me."
According to Scientific American (SciAmA), a flu virus’s genetic material is made up of eight RNA segments and when more than one virus infect the same cell and replicate, they can swap these segments, and produce one of 256 possible combinations. This can create a virus having features of both parent viruses, which could make it more transmissible.
Considering the uptick in both farm animals and humans cases of the bird flu, concerns are being raised about the possibility of a wider outbreak.
With flu season approaching, it's important to vaccinate the cattle to limit spread and also prevent human infections.
Symptoms of bird fluHigh temperature, chills, myalgia, body pain, cough and cold, and shortness of breath are some of the symptoms of bird flu. One can also experience gastronomical symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, sickness, chest pain, nose and gum bleeding, and conjunctivitis. The early symptoms are likely to appear after 3-5 days of exposure.
Video
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