All things swine flu (H1N1)

[SeekingJana]

This pig farmer is about to go psycho paranoid!!

Hi,
If you are really worried, it might help you to read this from a basic Q and A:

Q.What is it?

A.Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs first isolated in swine in 1930, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms of infected pigs include fever, depression, coughing (barking), sneezing, difficulty breathing, red or inflamed eyes, lack of appetite and discharge from the nose or eyes.

Um, I'm not sure what a " depressed pig" looks like, but the other signs should be evident if your pigs are sick. If they are sick, call the vet you use for swine stuff as soon as you can.

With Avian flu, the infected birds have to be killed by people wearing bio-hazard suits and disposed of in a special way. I do not know if this is true of pigs if the H1N1 virus is detected through lab testing.

The other Q and A section does say that initial transmission is from swine to humans, then from human to human.
Use good handwashing, try not to linger in their pens longer than you have to, and see if any are sick or " depressed". ( That part really kills me- a pig on Prozac?)

Good luck, and try not to worry. The only advisory regarding the consumption of pork is the usual- Make certain it is cooked thoroughly and clean all kitchen surfaces the raw meat contacted.

Maria

 

[SuziQ]

Questions & Answers
Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

 

[Sassygerl]

I think they should halt all travels to Mexico.

I hope not!!!! I'm leaving for Mexico in 10 days. There are more cases reported where I am now than where I'm going.

 

[SuziQ]

I'm much more fearful of the standard flu virus that hits the U.S. every year:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/index.htm

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

ETA: what's ironic is alot of attention will be paid to the Swine flu, but when it's all over, we'll be left with the same old illness and deaths stated above ocurring year after year.

 

[SeekingJana]

Does this mean that I shouldn't go out to the barn and just set it on fire??? Because I'm thinking about it.

I love your posts, your always the "voice" of reason. I'm just scared $h!tless right now. I don't know if I should call my dr and get some tamiflu or sit back and wait.

Tichad,
I posted to you on the other thread. I don't know how many pigs you have, but the Q and A section I found says that if the pigs are infected, they should look sick. "Depressed", runny red eyes, runny nose, kind of like a person with the flu, it sounds like.
If your pigs aren't exhibiting symptoms of illness, I think you are safe to keep an eye on them and make sure you wash your hands really well after all contact with them.

Edited to add: Unless a person has a compelling reason not to buy or take Tamiflu, I think it is a good idea to have a dose pack on hand for every family member.

IF one is sick, don't get close, and call the vet. They will need to be prepared to test for H1N1 virus in your entire stock. If the process is that of Avian flu, if any have H1N1 virus present, all of your pig livestock will have to be destroyed, not by you, but by people trained to use Biohazard precautions and removed from your land in a contained way. I guess your vet would notify the USDA, who should have units trained in containment of biohazardous livestock.

I don't think there's a rash of pigs getting sick, but that this is a very old influenza variant which was deadly in 1918 and is mainly affecting the human to human host, not swine to human hosts.

:blowkiss:
Maria

 

[Sassygerl]

I'm much more fearful of the standard flu virus that hits the U.S. every year:

I could not agree more. This is all so hyped up. I'm not saying it's not out there, but it was the same with SARS, the bird flu, etc.....so many panic! I'm not worried, but careful.

 

[SeekingJana]

I hope not!!!! I'm leaving for Mexico in 10 days. There are more cases reported where I am now than where I'm going.

The key word is REPORTED. Apparently, Mexico under-reported cases until young people started dying. Then they asked the USA for help, and we found out what was going on down there. They DO have an epidemic in progress, and I don't know how actively they are distributing anti-viral medications or quarantining.

I wouldn't count on going at this point. It is expected that travel to and from Mexico to be halted within the next business day. Texas is already screening all people coming across the border, and officials in Texas are saying they are implementing the stoppage of all border crossings.

 

[anthrobones]

Susie,

I remember reading somewhere that someone from the CDC said this was a new strain og H1N1 that was a combination of 2 pig flus, 1 bird flu, and 1 human flu. I'll see if I can find that source again.

 

[SeekingJana]

I could not agree more. This is all so hyped up. I'm not saying it's not out there, but it was the same with SARS, the bird flu, etc.....so many panic! I'm not worried, but careful.

To put this into perspective for those of you who are chuckling: Homeland Security has never issued a USA- wide health alert before. Terror alert, yes. But not health/ illness alert.
This is not just the CDC, this is Homeland Security. The implications are broader in that Homeland Security has the authority to impose and implement quarantines on all affected households.
The CDC does not have this authority.

Maria

 

[SuziQ]

I could not agree more. This is all so hyped up. I'm not saying it's not out there, but it was the same with SARS, the bird flu, etc.....so many panic! I'm not worried, but careful.

It is way hyped up. People should take the regular flu more seriously because that's where the death's come from.

 

[anthrobones]

http://www.katu.com/news/medicalalert/43630497.html

"
CDC officials detected a virus with a unique combination of gene segments that have not been seen in people or pigs before. The bug contains human virus, avian virus from North America and pig viruses from North America, Europe and Asia.
Health officials have seen mixes of bird, pig and human virus before, but never such an intercontinental combination with more than one pig virus in the mix."

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.latimes.com/la-na-swine-flu27-2009apr27,0,6195760.story

(snips)
The U.S. is declaring a public health emergency to deal with the emerging new swine flu.

The precautionary step doesn't signal a greater threat to Americans. But it allows the federal and state governments easier access to flu tests and medications.

Napilotano said at a White House news conference today that the emergency declaration is standard operating procedure -- one was recently declared for the inauguration and for flooding.

Bumping up this post.

 

[SeekingJana]

Susie,

I remember reading somewhere that someone from the CDC said this was a new strain og H1N1 that was a combination of 2 pig flus, 1 bird flu, and 1 human flu. I'll see if I can find that source again.

Yes, it is Influenza A. H1N1 can affect pigs, birds, and humans. The disease process is similar in all 3. The first human infection is from animal host to human as in farmers, or those who happen to eat undercooked infected meat, then it is rapidly spread from human to human.
The most common way a pandemic starts in the 21st century is from commercial airline flights.

It is believed at this point that none of us have resistance to this particular H1N1 type influenza. There have been articles written for several years about how a pandemic of H1N1 influenza could be, and I stress could be, devastating because of the propensity for young, previously healthy adults to die, rather than the usually expected demise of the more weak elderly and infants.

 

[SeekingJana]

Bumping up this post.

Good. Now, show me another time the Homeland Security Act covered an event of natural illness. You can't because no prior event exists. Laugh yourself silly. This has the potential to be extremely serious.

 

[SuziQ]

Good. Now, show me another time the Homeland Security Act covered an event of natural illness. You can't because no prior event exists. Laugh yourself silly. This has the potential to be extremely serious.

Who's laughing? I just don't think anyone should unnecessarily panic. The fact is, the standard strain of the flu kills more people on this planet than any other strain. Because of the advances in medical care and anti viral meds, if the 1918 flu were to occur today it would not be as deadly as it was in 1918.

For everyone regarding any flu viruses, get the flu shot, if you get the flu "Stay home!" and get an anti viral from your doc.

 

[fortytwo]

Honestly I'm wondering if this came from a pig to begin with. Obviously part of it came from pigs originally, but what is odd is that it is, as the CDC has said, a combination of 4 different flu strains; 2 from pigs, 1 from birds, and 1 from humans.

No. It's not odd.

This is what viruses do. This is how the flu virus behaves.

There are those who object to the term, but this is how the virus evolves. Always has been.

There's nothing unusual about it.

This is why flu vaccines can't keep up with flu variants. The flu virus changes genes the way people change jeans. (And, in some cases, more often.)

 

[Sharedspirit]

More info about the Smithfield Farms connection to the outbreak.

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-25-swine-flu-smithfield/

When pigs flu

Swine-flu outbreak linked to Smithfield factory farms

 

[fortytwo]

To put this into perspective for those of you who are chuckling: Homeland Security has never issued a USA- wide health alert before. Terror alert, yes. But not health/ illness alert.
This is not just the CDC, this is Homeland Security. The implications are broader in that Homeland Security has the authority to impose and implement quarantines on all affected households.
The CDC does not have this authority.

Maria

(red above by me)

I wonder if the age of the Homeland Security Act might have something to do with this?

As far as quarantines are concerned, I think that they might predate the HSA as well.

 

[Sassygerl]

To put this into perspective for those of you who are chuckling: Homeland Security has never issued a USA- wide health alert before. Terror alert, yes. But not health/ illness alert.
This is not just the CDC, this is Homeland Security. The implications are broader in that Homeland Security has the authority to impose and implement quarantines on all affected households.
The CDC does not have this authority.

Maria

I am not chuckling at all. I just think the hype is ridiculous. It creates chaos and panic. And in no way would I even consider changing my plans of going to Mexico. I seriously doubt travel will be halted. I haven't heard that yet!

eta: it looks like some airlines have alerts for people traveling to Mexico City...that's it. Alerts only.

 

[SeekingJana]

I'm much more fearful of the standard flu virus that hits the U.S. every year:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/index.htm

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

ETA: what's ironic is alot of attention will be paid to the Swine flu, but when it's all over, we'll be left with the same old illness and deaths stated above ocurring year after year.

One thing is different: Humans have never been inoculated against H1N1 influenza.
We have no natural resistance because the strain has never occurred in our lifetimes in humans, and we have no conferred resistance from vaccinations.

The CDC considered the H1N1 influenza important enough to send a team of epidemiologists to Antarctica when their research through newspaper archives determined that there were still-frozen corpses, probably explorers of the continent, of males who fell victim to the 1918 Spanish flu and died while in Antarctica.
The virus was isolated from their frozen tissues ( bodies were not embalmed) and H1N1 is being studied in the lab.
Prior to this time, no H1N1 influenza samples in humans existed ( once the 1918 survivors died of old age).

This is the major thing which makes H1N1 flu different from other more common variants. It also has the ability to mutate easily, from what I am reading.