MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/01/2009) - The "swine flu" epidemic raises questions for pork producers, even though the term "swine flu" is misleading and no swine are currently infected. University of Minnesota Extension has created a webpage to provide information and resources on this new H1N1 influenza virus outbreak and links to further information. This webpage can be found at http://www.extension.umn.edu/swine/H1N1
"It is important for the general public to know that pork is safe to eat and pork consumption does not impose a risk for contracting the H1N1 flu," said Dr. Mark Whitney, swine program leader with University of Minnesota Extension. "Although this new hybrid virus has not been demonstrated to be spread to pigs, we are suggesting pork producers increase biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of any influenza viruses from entering their herds," Whitney said.
The webpage includes:
A PorkCast webinar, "Pork Producer Update: H1N1 Influenza."
Facts and clarifications about the flu and its overstated relationship to swine
Biosecurity recommendations for preventing disease transmission to hog facilities
News and updates on 2009 H1N1 flu, for producers and veterinarians
Spanish-language resources
Speaking points about the safety of eating pork. For example, the USDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Homeland Security all state that swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food so one cannot contract swine influenza from eating pork or pork products.
Biosecurity Enhancement
Consider the following practices:
Establish, implement and enforce strict sick leave policies for workers presenting with influenza-like symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
Prevent workers exhibiting these symptoms from entering swine facilities for at least seven days after presenting with symptoms of respiratory illness, even mild ones.
Recommend that workers with these symptoms be seen by a medical provider immediately.
Encourage workers to report if members of their household develop influenza-like symptoms or have been diagnosed with influenza. Consider restricting the contact that this worker has with the animals.
Implement biosecurity for workers reporting international travel.
This recommendation is not limited to those people who had contact with animals in foreign countries.
Consider preventing the entry of workers who have travelled internationally, and particularly to Mexico, into your operation.
If entry is essential, consider requiring that these people use face masks, or preferably properly fitted, valveless N95 respirators, and gloves, upon entering and while inside a swine housing facility.
If workers reporting international travel present with influenza-like symptoms, restrict their access to the farm. Recommend that they seek immediate medical attention and that they report their travel to the medical professional.
Limit visitors to swine facilities
Limit the entry of people into your facility to workers and essential service personnel.
Prevent international visitors from entering your facilities.
Prevent the entry of people who report international travel (especially from Mexico) as recently as in the past two weeks.
Follow other generally accepted biosecurity practices, including:
Enforce basic hygiene practices:
Workers should shower and change into farm-specific clothes and shoes before entering swine facilities. If this is not possible, enforce at least the use of farm shoes and hand and arm washing before contact with pigs.
Recommend frequent hand-washing of workers, in barns and in offices.
Pay attention to ventilation - Ventilation systems in production facilities should be designed to minimize re-circulation of air inside animal housing facilities. This is important to reduce the exposure of pigs to viruses from other pigs, to reduce their exposure to human influenza viruses.
Implement and enforce the use of personal protective equipment- Provide basic personal protective equipment (PPE) to the people working in barns. This should include face masks, or preferably respirators; eye protection and gloves when appropriate.
Recommend that all workers are vaccinated against the seasonal influenza virus -The vaccine is produced on a yearly basis and contains only human, not swine, strains of influenza viruses. Vaccination of swine farm workers will help to prevent human infections from seasonal human influenza strains. Seasonal influenza vaccination will not protect against the new H1N1 strain. However, vaccination of farm workers will reduce the amounts of viruses they shed if infected during seasonal human influenza outbreaks, and limit the potential for human influenza virus infection of pigs.
Review herd health programs with your veterinarian to ensure they are up to date and effective for conditions on your farm
If you observe, or employees report, respiratory illness in pigs, contact a swine veterinarian immediately, especially if the onset or presentation of this illness is unusual. If deemed necessary, your veterinarian may require samples be taken from animals to send to veterinary diagnostic laboratories. If animals develop a fever or go off feed, the veterinarian may take lung tissues samples and nasal swabs to send to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory.
If you have workers collect these samples, require that they use personal protective equipment including a properly fitted, valveless N95 respirator, gloves and safety goggles.
Talk to your veterinarian if influenza-like symptoms have been reported or observed in any of the people that have, or have had, contact with your animals and report that upon submission of the samples to a diagnostic laboratory.
Pork is SAFE to eat and there are NO food safety issues associated with the eating of pork.
This virus has NOT been shown to spread from animals to humans.
People who have come down with the current novel H1N1 virus have had NO contact with swine.
Direct contact with swine is NOT the source of H1N1 Influenza
U.S. pigs have NOT been infected with this hybrid influenza
The current influenza contains avian, swine and human components.
This virus is different from respiratory viruses found in pigs.
This virus has NEVER been identified in hogs in the United States.
How did the term 'swine flu' evolve?
According to Peter Cowen, associate professor of epidemiology and public health at North Carolina State University, the H1N1 virus is being called “swine flu” because of the 1918 outbreak in Spain. That virus, Cowen said, probably had a wild bird origin but nonetheless became known as the swine influenza virus because it caused significant mortality in both swine and human populations.
NEW Special Edition Pork Leader | Source National Pork Board
The National Pork Board is urging pork producers to enhance the biosecurity plans on their farms as the result of a new strain of the swine influenza virus type H1N1 being reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus is unique and has not been seen in the U.S. swine herd. At this time, no pigs have been found to be infected or sick with the virus. It is unknown if this new strain causes any type of illness in swine. However, because it is novel, the National Pork Board is urging producers to take extra precaution to protect our industry's workers and our animals. More.
(Spanish)
NEW Pork Leader Edición Especial | Source National Pork Board
El National Pork Board urge a productores de cerdos a incrementar los medidas de bioseguridad en sus granjas debido a que una nueva cepa del virus de la influenza porcina tipo H1N1 ha sido reportada por el Centro de Prevención y Control de Enfermedades de los Estados Unidos (CDC). El virus es único en su género y no ha sido encontrado en los rebaños porcinos de los Estados Unidos.More.
Biosecurity and Health Assurance at a Boar Stud
An outline of questions to ask your Semen supplier English Version(pdf) Spanish Version(pdf)
Biosecurity Considerations for Pigs Housed Outdoors or with Access to Outdoor Lots
Preventing the introduction of disease agents is a continuous challenge for pork producers and veterinarians. The problem is compounded when pigs are housed outdoors because producers cannot pig contact with wildflife, stray animals, rodents, insects, aerosols, and people. This guide will help producers assess and monitor the biosecurity of their farm. English Version (pdf)
Biosecurity Guide for Pork Producers
Biosecurity is an essential part of minimizing the risk of introducing disease-causing agents to pork production operations. This pulbication, developed in conjunction with the National Biosecurity Resource Center at Purdue University, the National Pork Board/AASV Biosecurity Working Group, the National Pork Board Swine Health Committee and the AASV Swine Health Committee, offers a comprehensive look at protecting swine farms. English Version (pdf) Spanish Version (pdf)
Security Guide for Pork Producers
Secure farms also help in maintaining consumer confidence that U.S. pork is consistently of high quality. This publication offers guidelines for producers to use when insuring that their farms are secure. The Security Guide for Pork Producers have been developed in conjunction with the National Biosecurity Resource Center at Purdue University, the National Pork Board/American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Biosecurity Working Group, the National Pork Board Swine Health Committee and the AASV Swine Health Committee. English Version (pdf) Spanish Version (pdf)
