UK pig producers encouraged to vaccinate against H1N1 strains

Most veterinarians agree that swine influenza or H1N1 is an increasing problem for pig producers, according to a survey recently conducted by Merial Animal Health. Only 8 percent of those interviewed said that in their experience the number of cases of swine influenza had stayed the same over the last five years, while 92 percent agreed that it had increased.
Views varied on the exact reasons for this apparent increase. These included better diagnostics, and increased reporting by pig producers. However, a number pointed at specific recent outbreaks which have driven the increase.
Most of those questioned - 60 percent - agreed that vaccination against swine influenza makes good economic sense. This was borne out by the number agreeing or agreeing strongly that the UK industry should take swine influenza more seriously, which amounted to 77 percent of the sample.
Nick Munce, Merial's Pig Business & Technical Manager said: "This survey demonstrates that the majority of veterinarians recognize the economic benefits of vaccination against swine influenza."
Some 77 percent of those interviewed agreed that swine influenza is a production disease that can affect reproduction, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratios. In terms of controlling the disease biosecurity and a variety of vaccination strategies featured on most vets' lists.
Vets were asked to estimate the current prevalence of swine influenza in the English national herd and the average figure was around 44 percent. Research published in 2010 showed that 59 per cent of the 146 farms surveyed had at least one pig positive for the H1N1, H1N2 or H3N2 influenza viruses¹.
Gripovac 3 is currently the only swine influenza vaccine licensed for the UK. It provides protection against the most common influenza strains - H3N2, H1N1 and H1N2.

¹ Towards risk-based surveillance for swine influenza virus. Barbara Wieland*, Alexander Mastin*, Dirk U. Pfeiffer*, The COSI Consortium**
*Royal Veterinary College, Hatfi eld,
**Combating Swine Influenza Initiative Consortium, Cambridge, UK. 21st International Pig Veterinary Society congress, Vancouver, Canada, 2010.

Manitoba Pork Council releases new industry sustainable-development plan

In response to three years of swine industry challenges that include low hog prices, high feed costs, a high-valued Canadian dollar, the H1N1 virus, the global recession and new product-labeling regulations, the Manitoba Pork Council has released a 54-page document, Embracing a Sustainable Future, which spells out 82 commitments designed to revitalize the industry.
The document focuses on nine key areas of concern identified by the council and industry producers: green farming practices, barn location, animal care, food safety, farm safety, research, trade, social responsibility and education and public awareness. "We are just beginning to emerge from several very challenging years when producers have struggled just to keep their farms afloat," said MPC Chairman Karl Kynoch. "We feel the need, now more than ever, to set a course that will ensure a bright future for pork production."
Among other things, the MPC hopes to encourage producers to phase out gestation stalls by 2025, invest in new technologies that minimize the release of methane gases from pig production facilities and commit to leading the effort to develop a practical system of traceability for pigs and pig farms within the next three years to help reduce losses in the event of a disease outbreak.

China to resume US pork imports

China has accepted a U.S. proposal to resume pork imports and end a nearly year-long ban that was based on misplaced H1N1 influenza concerns, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Pork trade will resume immediately once both sides finalize the export documentation, the service reported in a press release.
“This agreement is a win for America’s pork producers, whose safe and high-quality exports can now flow freely into China and support agriculture jobs here at home,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in the press release. “I am also pleased that China affirmed in our meetings that they will base their decisions on international science-based guidelines. We look forward to working cooperatively to resolve additional issues, including a resumption of trade in beef.”
China barred imports of U.S. pork from 49 states last year after the worldwide H1N1 outbreak, Business Week reported. In 2008, before the ban took effect, China was the United States’ seventh largest market valued at valued at nearly $275M, accounting for six percent of U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports, according to USDA data.

H1N1 found in Indiana swine

Commercial herd pigs in Indiana have been reported to have H1N1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is the first time the virus has been found in commercial pigs in the U.S.
The sample showing the virus was collected in October. The USDA reports the pigs and affected employees have recovered.

More Norwegian pigs infected with H1N1

Mattilsynet, Norway's food safety authority, reported H1N1 in two more Norwegian pig herds in late October 2009.
These cases were in the counties of Rogaland and Nord-Trøndelag. As of Oct. 30, 2009, 22 pig herds had been infected with the virus in Nord-Trøndelag county, three in Rogaland, two each in Sør-Trøndelag and Buskerud counties, and one each in Hedmark and Akershus counties.
Pig farmers were urged to take all necessary measures to prevent the spread of H1N1.

Minnesota hog with H1N1 flu confirmed

Reports say the Minnesota State Fair is the location of the first confirmed case of H1N1 flu virus in a U.S. hog. The fairgrounds had four teenagers sick with the virus.Officials stressed this incident did not endanger commercial pigs raised for consumption, and that there is not a link between consuming pork products and contracting the virus.

NTF responds to outbreak of H1N1 in turkeys in Chile

Following the recent diagnosis of 2009 H1N1 influenza in two flocks of breeding turkeys in Chile, the National Turkey Federation has issued a series of talking points relating to avian influenza.
Available from the NTF, the summary can be requested via e-mail to srosenblatt @tukeyfed.org.
Items which are common to turkeys, broilers and egg products are:
•The novel 2009 H1N1 virus is a human disease with only one case of transmission from humans to hogs in Canada and the recently discovered turkey flocks in Chile, despite the extensive dissemination of the virus among humans worldwide.
•Novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has never been diagnosed in any poultry flock in the U.S. despite extensive surveillance implemented this year.
•Intensive poultry production systems protect flocks from exposure to wild birds which currently are not known to be carriers of this strain.
•Biosecurity procedures should limit the possibility of transfer from an infected human to flocks.
•Influenza viruses specific to poultry are not known to be spread in meat products or eggs derived from infected poultry flocks.

H1N1 isolated in breeder turkeys has human connection

A report in the Daily Influenza Digest confirmed that the influenza strain H1N1 isolated from breeder turkeys in Chile is identical to the 2009 novel pandemic influenza strain circulating in humans throughout the world.
The full genomic sequence is yet to be determined but the health secretary of Chile said the strain did not represent a mutation. The affected flocks showed a 70% depression in egg production.
Concurrent influenza-A infection among humans, pigs and turkeys in close contact has been recorded in a few countries, confirming that humans suffering from influenza or suspected of being infected should not have either direct or indirect contact with poultry or livestock.

Chile confirms H1N1 spread from humans to turkeys

Chile's health ministry has confirmed the first reports of the H1N1 virus spreading from people to turkeys on two farms, as reported by the Associated Press. The farms are located outside the city of Valparaiso.
The farms have been quarantined, the World Health Organization has been alerted and all safety measures available are being taken to prevent further spread of the disease.
Chile's Institute of Public Health said that the detection of the virus raises the "possibility that this may happen in Asia or Africa under conditions of co-infection with H5N1 virus."

President Obama urged to save swine industry

The governors of nine key pork-producing states urged President Barack Obama to rescue the industry reeling from high commodity prices and disease scares, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The letter, sent Friday, July 7, urged Obama to buy pork worth an additional $50 million for government nutrition programs, withdraw the ceiling on the amount of surplus product the Agriculture Department can purchase, and expand export markets, primarily to China.
The request was signed by the governors of Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
The swine flu scare has cost pork producers $330 million in profits, the governors said, predicting that losses up to October could top $1 billion and cripple the rural economy.

Singapore merchants offer proposal to contain H1N1

Poultry and egg merchants in Singapore in consultation with their Malaysian suppliers proposed a plan to contain the spread of HIN1 flu across borders by disinfecting poultry and egg-carrying vehicles entering the area as well as allowing Singapore drivers to take over the vehicles at the border, according to a news report.
Merchant associations in Singapore said they will bear any price increases in eggs and poultry if the plan materializes.
However, there is a scarcity of drivers as those holding a Singapore driving license cannot drive a Malaysia-registered vehicle. The associations, though, are hoping authorities will grant their workers temporary licenses to meet the need.

China poultry workers show antibody to AI strains

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine online edition, June 11, 2009, reported on the results of a serologic survey of poultry farmers, workers in broiler and pig processing plants and live bird markets in the Guangzho metropolitan area in Guangdong Province of Southern China.
Less than 1% of poultry retailers in food markets and wholesalers in live bird markets showed antibodies to H5. In contrast 16% of the retailers in markets and 7% of the wholesalers showed antibodies to H9 avian influenza as did 6% of workers in commercial farms. All three groups were regarded as significantly different on statistical analysis from the general population which served as a control.
An antibody response against H5 influenza was not detected in subsistence poultry farmers, workers on commercial swine operations or employees of food markets not in contact with poultry. Although a small proportion of these groups showed from 1.8-2.8% reactor rates, these values were not significantly different from the general population which showed a 1.3% reactor rate against H9.
Editorial Comment: The result of the study is consistent with the knowledge that close contact with live poultry either through handling birds or processing in wet markets exposes workers to infection if flocks are excreting influenza virus at the time of delivery. The presence of circulating virus in markets represents a potential for recombinant events which could result in the emergence of strains of avian influenza with increased pathogenecity for humans. Failure to control avian influenza through applying biosecurity and vaccination contributes to endemic infection. H9 strain AI is presumed to be endemic in poultry flocks in the province. Maintaining a live bird marketing system perpetuates the danger of dissemination of virus from poultry farms to the general population.

H1N1 outbreak in West Bengal

A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been reported in West Bengal according to an article in India's Business Standard.
On May 25, deaths of about 20 backyard poultry birds in the rural areas of Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal were contributed to H1N1. All samples tested by the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, tested positive for this virus.
The outbreak was reported to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) on May 28. The animal husbandry department told OIE that curbs on the movement of poultry products, screening and culling of domestic poultry in a 3 km radius around the outbreak spots are in place.