Did new flu emerge from a pig farm?

[Guest guest]

Merrit, I 100% agree what you have in previous emails about the origination

of this flu (I can¹t even bring myself to say the ³s² word, and thereby

condemn even more pigs to death). For all we know, this variant of the

virus ­ or all variants of virus for that matter - could have originated by

a mixing of RNA from extraterrestrial aliens. If only ³animal activists²

would take the time to learn some basic science instead of flailing about

and fuelling a planetary pig genocide! It might be a good thing if all pork

farms were closed down world-wide and forever ­ perhaps - but folks that

want to influence others to become vegetarians or to ³love thy pig,² should

do it honestly and with good science, not horsecrap, rumour, and

assumptions. And if that fails...well, that¹s a comment for another day and

one made only on a secured channel. That¹s all I got to say today - I gotta

get back to my examination of some Neuraminidase I found on my dog¹s fur.

Cheers,

Jigs in Nepal

 

 

On 5/6/09 10:40 AM, " Merritt Clifton " <anmlpepl wrote:

 

>

>

>

>

>

> From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2009:

>

> Did new flu emerge from a pig farm?

>

> MEXICO CITY--Rumors swept the world

> during the last week of April 2009 that a newly

> detected H1N1 flu virus variant suspected of

> killing as many as 149 Mexicans might have

> evolved at a factory-style pig farm at Perote,

> in Vera Cruz state on the Gulf of Mexico. As

> ANIMAL PEOPLE went to press on the night of April

> 28, however, little medical or veterinary

> evidence supported the hypothesis that the

> disease is of factory farm origin, and some

> evidence seemed to refute it.

> Among the first 1,995 suspected Mexican

> cases of the new flu strain, only 27 were

> laboratory-confirmed. Lab-confirmed human cases

> had occurred in 19 other nations, including 64

> cases in the U.S., but no deaths were reported

> outside of Mexico.

> Bloggers and news media usually called

> the virus " swine flu, " but although it contained

> genetic material of swine origin, nothing linked

> it to recent swine infections.

> The Perote farm belongs to the Mexican

> firm Granjas Carroll, a half-owned subsidiary of

> Smithfield Inc., the world's largest pork

> producer. Smithfield spokesperson Keira Ullrich

> told media that an internal investigation had

> found no clinical signs or symptoms of swine

> influenza in animals and employees at any of its

> Mexican facilities. A United Nations' Food &

> Agriculture Organiz-ation team reportedly reached

> Pecote on April 28 to seek independent

> confirmation.

> " We deny completely that the influenza

> virus affecting Mexico originated in pigs because

> it has been scientifically demonstrated that this

> is not possible, " claimed the Mexican National

> Organization of Pig Production and Producers.

> That was an exaggeration, but at press

> time the case for factory farm involvement

> appeared to rest on the coincidence that the

> earliest identified case of the new H1N1 virus

> variant was detected in 5-year-old Edgar

> Hernandez, who lives near the Granjas Carroll

> pig farm.

> Hernandez fell ill on April 2, Mexican

> health secretary Jose Angel Cordova told media.

> Many other Perote residents fell ill at about the

> same time, but " Only one sample from the group,

> that belonging to the boy, was preserved, "

> reported Tracy Wilkinson and Cecilia Sanchez of

> the Los Angeles Times. " It was retested after

> other cases of the new strain were confirmed

> elsewhere in the country, Cordova said. The boy

> had the same disease. It is unknown how many

> more of the hundreds of people who fell sick in

> Perote also were infected by the strain. "

> " In Perote, " Wilkinson and Sanchez

> found, " residents of the hamlet known as La

> Gloria have complained since mid-March that the

> pig farm was tainting their water and causing

> respiratory infections. In one demonstration in

> early April, they carried signs with pictures of

> pigs crossed out with an X and the word

> 'peligro'--danger. Residents told reporters at

> the time that more than half the town's 3,000

> inhabitants were sick, and that three children

> under age two had died.

> " Local health officials mobilized when

> the outbreak was first reported, " Wilkinson and

> Sanchez reported, " but they gave a different

> account: The infection may have started with a

> migrant farmer who returned from work in the U.S.

> and gave the disease to his wife, who in turn

> passed it to other women in the community. "

> " La Gloria was not alone in experiencing

> a fierce flu outbreak in recent weeks, " noted

> Marc Lacey of The New York Times. " Public health

> officials in other parts of Mexico said they had

> noticed an unusual spike in cases in the

> beginning of April, when the normal flu season

> would usually end. "

> Door-to-door census taker Maria Adela

> Gutierrez, 39, of Oaxaca, capital city of

> Oaxaca state, on April 13 became the first

> confirmed fatality from the new H1N1 strain.

>

> James Wilson, MD

>

> Most reports associating the Perote pig

> farm with the H1N1 outbreak, including two

> widely distributed columns by Grist food editor

> Tom Philpot, referenced a biosurveillance web

> site and blog posted by James M. Wilson V, M.D.,

> of Seattle.

> Wilson has done biosurveillance for the

> U.S. armed forces, the USDA, NASA, and the

> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

> among other agencies, and is cofounder of the

> Veratect Corporation, which " provides animal and

> human infectious disease event detection and

> tracking globally, " says his online biographical

> page.

> But Wilson was more cautious than many of

> the people who used his material.

> " One key myth I wish to dispel, " Wilson

> updated on April 27, " is the claim that there

> was any credible link to a pig farm. Such claims

> must be verified through solid epidemiological

> investigation. "

> Wilson on April 24 posted a " Swine Flu in

> Mexico " timeline that began with a March 30

> report that " a 47-year-old attorney was

> hospitalized in a coma at Ottawa General Hospital

> following a recent trip to Mexico. "

> On April 27 Wilson acknowledged that this

> case " tested negative according to Canadian

> officials, " and that there was therefore no

> reason to link it to H1N1.

> On April 2, the timeline continued,

> " Local media source Imagen del Golfo reported

> that [Vera Cruz] state health officials recorded

> a 15% increase in disease over an unspecified

> period in the highland areas of Vera Cruz, which

> includes La Gloria. The increase was primarily

> due to higher levels of upper respiratory disease

> and gastroenteritis. Specifically, officials

> noted an increase in pneumonia and bronchial

> pneumonia. Health officials attributed the

> increase to seasonal climate changes. "

> On April 6, recounted Wilson's timeline,

> " Local health officials declared a health alert

> due to a respiratory disease outbreak in La

> Gloria. Sources characterized the event as a

> 'strange' outbreak of acute respiratory

> infection, which led to bronchial pneumonia in

> some pediatric cases. Health officials recorded

> 400 cases who sought medical treatment in La

> Gloria, population 3,000; officials indicated

> that 60% of the town's population had been

> affected. No precise timeframe was provided,

> but sources reported that a local official had

> been seeking health assistance for the town since

> February. Residents claimed that three pediatric

> cases, all under two years of age, died from

> the outbreak, " as Wilkinson and Sanchez of the

> Los Angeles Times confirmed.

> " However, " Wilson continued, " health

> officials stated that there was no direct link

> between the pediatric deaths and the outbreak;

> they stated the three fatal cases were 'isolated'

> and 'not related' to each other. "

>

> Flu or biting flies?

>

> Continued the April 6 timeline entry,

> " Residents believed the outbreak was caused by

> contamination from pig breeding farms operated by

> Granjas Carroll. According to residents, the

> company denied responsibility and attributed the

> cases to 'flu.' " This was apparently the first

> mention of flu in connection with the La Gloria

> disease outbreak.

> " However, " the timeline added, " a

> municipal health official stated that preliminary

> investigations indicated that the disease vector

> was a type of fly that reproduces in pig waste,

> and that the outbreak was linked to the pig

> farms. It was unclear whether health officials

> had identified a suspected pathogen responsible

> for this outbreak. "

> Many insect-borne diseases produce

> flu-like symptoms, including the ricketsial and

> malarial disease families--but the ricketsial

> diseases are caused by bacteria, and the

> malarial diseases by protozoan parasites.

> On April 27, Wilson posted that his

> timeline mention of flu " was simply to flag an

> event as worthy of closer scrutiny and higher

> awareness, as there was absolutely no proof of

> true involvement of this company in the outbreak.

> A proper epidemiological investigation is

> required to prove such links. "

> Meanwhile, added the April 6 Wilson

> timeline entry, " A health cordon was established

> around La Gloria. Officials launched a spraying

> and cleaning operation that targeted the fly

> suspected to be the disease vector. State health

> officials also implemented a vaccination campaign

> against influenza, although sources noted

> physicians ruled out influenza as the cause of

> the outbreak. Finally, officials announced an

> epidemiological investigation that focused on any

> cases exhibiting symptoms since March 10. "

> Ten days later, on April 16, wrote

> Wilson, " Veratect reported the Oaxaca Health

> Department indicated that an unspecified number

> of atypical pneumonia cases were detected at the

> Hospital Civil Aurelio Valdivieso in Reforma,

> Oaxaca State, Mexico. No information was

> provided about symptoms or treatment for the

> cases. NSS Oaxaca reported that rumors were

> circulating that human coronavirus was spreading

> at the hospital; sources did not provide any

> response to these statements from the hospital or

> health officials. Laboratory samples were sent

> to Mexico City for analysis. According to NSS

> Oaxaca, health officials intensified preventive

> measures aimed at mitigating further spread of

> the disease. "

>

> Why " swine flu " ?

>

> Explained ProMED animal disease moderator

> Peter Cowen on April 25, " The H1N1 virus is

> called 'swine flu' because of the outbreak of the

> 1918 virus that caused significant mortality in

> both swine and human populations. The virus

> probably has a wild bird origin, " as all

> influenzas have evolved from avian diseases.

> " Influenza viruses regularly circulate in

> swine populations, " Cowen continued. " Swine flu

> viruses have been known to infect humans, [but]

> it appears as if no exposure to swine has

> occurred among people who have come down with the

> current novel H1N1 virus. Since we know nothing

> of how this particular virus has gotten into the

> human population, but there apparently is no

> history of swine exposure, it probably makes

> more sense epidemiologically to refer to this

> simply as an H1N1 influenza.

> " Unfortunately, " Cowen concluded, " the

> name 'swine flu' will imply a simple transmission

> between swine and people, when in reality its

> origin and epidemiology are likely to be much

> more complex. "

> Elaborated fellow ProMED animal disease

> moderator Arnon Shimshony, " Swine influenza in

> senso stricto, " unlike the common use in

> connection with the H1N1 virus afflicting humans,

> " is an animal disease, caused by a specific

> porcine virus. Swine influenza viruses are very

> contagious, mainly affecting pigs, but can

> sporadically cause disease in turkeys and humans.

> Such an interspecies infection, when occurring,

> is not followed by further spread in the affected

> populations, " who become dead end hosts.

> " The current influenza virus spreads

> readily among humans without any known

> involvement of, or contact with pigs, "

> Shimshony emphasized. Thus, regardless of

> origin, " The causative virus can persist among

> humans independent of animal involvement. "

>

> Genetic link

>

> Assistant professor Raul Rabadan, PhD.

> of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at

> Columbia University on April 28 shared with

> ProMed members the strongest medical hint before

> ANIMAL PEOPLE went to press that the H1N1

> outbreak might be associated with pig farming.

> But Rabadan's finding did not point directly

> toward factory pig farming, or even to pig

> farming per se.

> " My group and I are analyzing the recent

> sequences from the isolates in Texas and

> California of swine H1N1 deposited in the

> National Center for Biotechnology Inform-ation, "

> Rabadan posted. " Preliminary analysis using all

> the sequences in public databases suggests that

> all segments are of swine origin, " contrary to

> earlier reports that the new H1N1 virus included

> elements from human and avian viruses. Rabadan's

> team found the parts of the new virus " related to

> Asian/European swine and the rest to North

> American swine. There is also an interesting

> substratification between these groups, " Rabadan

> observed, " suggesting a multiple reassortment. "

> Rabadan's findings pointed toward the new

> H1N1 virus originating in pigs. However, the

> mix of Asian/European swine and North American

> swine virus segments may point toward hybridized

> boars, commonly raised for hunting and the

> restaurant trade-- and feral in much of North

> America--rather than factory-farmed pig breeds.

> However, reminded the British

> Department of Food, Agriculture, and Rural

> Affairs later in the day, " The virus has not

> been isolated from pigs, and there have been no

> reports of unusual disease in pig herds.

> " H1N1 and H3N2 swine flu viruses are

> endemic among pigs in many countries and

> something that the industry deals with

> routinely, " DEFRA continued. " Outbreaks among

> pigs normally occur in late fall and winter.

> U.S. studies have shown that between 30% and 50%

> of the pig population have been exposed to H1N1

> infection at some time. Mexico does not

> routinely report swine influenza, " DEFRA noted,

> " so there is some uncertainty regarding the

> situation in that country. "

> However, DEFRA concluded, " We consider

> there is a negligible likelihood of introducing

> human influenza strain H1N1 to the U.K. by the

> legal import of pigs or pig products from North

> America. There is no evidence that meat or other

> products would be contaminated with known strains

> of virus. "

> Commented the Office International des

> Epizooties [World Organization for Animal Health]

> in a parallel statement, " The virus has not been

> isolated in animals to date. Therefore, it is

> not justified to name this disease swine

> influenza. Urgent scientific research must be

> started in order to know the susceptibility of

> animals to this new virus, " the OIE said, " and

> if relevant to implement biosecurity measures,

> including possible vaccination to protect

> susceptible animals. "

>

> Mixing vessels

>

> Speaking before Rabadan released his

> genetic findings, OIE director general Bernard

> Vallat told Agence France-Presse that the new

> H1N1 virus contains an avian strain of American

> origin, and American swine strain and an

> apparent Asian swine strain, and an American

> human strain. But even with that mix, Vallat

> explained, " There is no proof that this virus,

> currently circulating among humans, really is of

> animal origin. There is no element to support

> this. "

> Both pigs and humans are influenza

> " mixing vessels, " within whom different flu

> strains can meet, incubate, and mutate.

> Regardless of the medical evidence,

> animal advocates seized upon the H1N1 outbreak as

> an opportunity to expose and denounce aspects of

> factory farming other than disease transmission.

> Posted Michigan activist Liska,

> " What intensive confinement factory farming has

> done to the animals, in terms of the cruelty

> involved, the drugs used to offset the disease

> and stress caused to the animals by how they are

> overcrowded and not allowed to meet their basic

> behavioral needs, etcetra, is going to come

> back to haunt us until we change our ways, and

> that doesn't even include the human side effects

> from eating meat filled with antibiotics and

> hormones. "

> " For more than 23 years we have warned

> that cramming thousands of animals into factory

> farms is not only bad for the animals, " said

> Farm Sanctuary cofounder Gene Baur. " These

> stressful, filthy, disease-ridden confines are

> also bad for humans. Animals packed by the

> thousands in unnatural conditions suffer

> immensely and these unhealthy, overcrowded

> operations are a breeding ground for

> disease--swine flu, avian flu, e-coli,

> salmonella, mad cow diseaseŠFactory farms are a

> prescription for disaster. "

> Baur mentioned pending federal

> legislation which, if passed, " would eliminate

> the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics on factory

> farms. "

> This measure is favored by most of the

> human health community as well as animal

> advocates, since heavy use of antibiotics in

> farming is tending to increase the capacity of

> infectious bacteria to resist antibiotic

> treatment. --Merritt

> Clifton