First case of bird flu in pig discovered on small Oregon farm

[riversedge]

Source: yahoo



Lynne Terry | Oregon Capital Chronicle Wed, October 30, 2024 at 2:12 PM CDT


Oregonians raise about 3,000 pigs every year and at least one just became infected with bird flu. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Agriculture)

State officials announced Wednesday that a severe form of bird flu has been detected for the first time in a pig on a small unidentified farm in Crook County in central Oregon.

The same strain – highly pathogenic avian influenza – has turned up in backyard and commercial flocks across the country. Hundreds of cows have also been infected, along with some people who worked around the infected animals.

Two of the latest cases of human infection were announced last week in Washington state. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Protection confirmed that two people working in a commercial egg farm in Franklin County in south-central Washington were infected, Washington State Standard reported.

But this is the first time the virus has crossed over to pigs. That’s a significant development of potential concern to Iowa, the top pork-producing state in the country.

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Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-case-bird-flu-pig-191211150.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

[Delphinus]

1. I feel

we need to keep an eye on how Bird Flu is crossing over.

[Jack Valentino]

5. Most likely through bird feces, I would think.

That's my inexpert opinion but it seems the most likely way. Pigs root around everywhere...

[Ramsey Barner]

2. This interspecies crossover is alarming.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. I was gonna crack a joke about flying pigs but on second thought....

I won't because this could turn into some serious shit if the damn thing mutates and becomes more deadly for other animals or humans.

From Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_influenza:

Avian influenza, also known as avian flu or bird flu, is a disease caused by the influenza A virus, which primarily affects birds but can sometimes affect mammals including humans. Wild aquatic birds are the primary host of the influenza A virus, which is enzootic (continually present) in many bird populations.

Symptoms of avian influenza vary according to both the strain of virus underlying the infection, and on the species of bird or mammal affected. Classification of a virus strain as either low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) or high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is based on the severity of symptoms in domestic chickens and does not predict severity of symptoms in other species. Chickens infected with LPAI display mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, whereas HPAI causes serious breathing difficulties, significant drop in egg production, and sudden death. Domestic poultry may potentially be protected from specific strains of the virus by vaccination.

Humans and other mammals can only become infected with avian influenza after prolonged close contact with infected birds. In mammals including humans, infection with avian influenza (whether LPAI or HPAI) is rare. Symptoms of infection vary from mild to severe, including fever, diarrhea, and cough.

Influenza A virus is shed in the saliva, mucus, and feces of infected birds; other infected animals may shed bird flu viruses in respiratory secretions and other body fluids (e.g., cow milk).[9] The virus can spread rapidly through poultry flocks and among wild birds. A particularly virulent strain, influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (A/H5N1) has the potential to decimate domesticated poultry stocks and an estimated half a billion farmed birds have been slaughtered in efforts to contain the virus.

Hoping this outbreak can be contained. I know it's hell for any affected farmer's livelihood.

[mahina]

4. Here we go

But I hope not.