Announcement

**Giuseppe** · November 5, 2009, 04:20 AM

Hong Kong: Pig samples test positive for human swine influenza virus (11/5/09)

Hong Kong: Pig samples test positive for human swine influenza virus (11/5/09)

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) had found in its regular influenza virus surveillance programme that two pig samples taken at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse on October 22 tested positive for human swine influenza (pandemic influenza A H1N1) virus, a spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said today (November 5).

This surveillance programme has been ongoing since 1999 and this is the first time that the human swine flu virus has been detected in pigs in this surveillance.

No gene reassortment has occurred and the virus remains genetically similar to the human swine flu viruses regularly being found in humans.

Experts in charge of the surveillance programme considered that these findings indicate that the human swine flu virus detected in pigs is recently transmitted from humans to pigs.

The risk of humans contracting human swine influenza virus has not increased.

"The findings echo similar reports in other countries," the spokesman said. "There is no cause for the public to be overly concerned.Human swine flu virus is killed under a temperature of 70 degree Celsius or above. It is safe for the public to eat pork and pork products that are handled properly and cooked thoroughly."

He pointed out that the World Health Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and World Trade Organisation had already stated that pork and pork products which were handled properly and thoroughly cooked were not a source of human swine influenza infection.

HKU experts also indicated that there was no need to conduct testing for the virus on chilled and frozen pork.

"HKU did not record the farm of origin of the pig samples concerned. The live pigs in Hong Kong are supplied by both local and Mainland farms. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has contacted all local pig farmers again and reminded them to stay vigilant, strictly implement biosecurity measures and maintain good farm and personal hygiene. Any abnormality in farms should be reported to AFCD immediately.

"AFCD will continue to regularly inspect the pig farms and closely monitor the health condition of the pigs on farms.

"We have also informed the Mainland authorities so that they can further step up the monitoring and inspection of the registered farms supplying live pigs to Hong Kong.

"All imported live pigs from the Mainland should come from registered farms and be accompanied with health certificates issued by the Mainland authorities. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will carry out inspection at the boundary control point.

"Live pigs have to go through ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection in the slaughterhouses and only pigs which pass the inspection can be supplied to the market," he said. "Apart from stepping up inspection, FEHD has requested the operators to strengthen cleaning and disinfection of the slaughterhouses. FEHD has also reminded slaughterhouse staff and people who might be in contact with live pigs to pay attention to personal hygiene and wear masks and appropriate protective gear."

The spokesman added that those involved in pig farming and slaughtering trade would be among the target groups to be vaccinated when the human swine influenza vaccination programme began.
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**Treyfish** · November 5, 2009, 04:31 AM

Re: New influenza virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

Found in pigs in Hong Kong for the first time with a flow of the virus 2009-11-05 16:54:00
Food and Health Bureau said that Hong Kong universities in their monthly routine influenza virus surveillance program results, and found two 22 last month, in the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse pig samples were extracted, containing H1N1 influenza A ( human swine influenza) virus.
This is the discovery of the first pigs with H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus, virus-free of genetic shuffling, and gene sequencing with the current H1N1 found in humans influenza (swine flu) virus-phase similar. Responsible for the monitoring plan of the experts believe that this shows the H1N1 found in pigs of influenza (swine flu) virus, was recently passed by the people of pigs. People being infected with H1N1 influenza A (human swine flu) virus, the risk did not increase.
The spokesman added that the monitoring results associated with a number of countries announced earlier similar. Members of the public need not worry too much, swine influenza virus in general or above 70 degrees Celsius, the temperature will be killed, people are as long as the proper handling and thorough cooking of pork and pork products can be safe to eat.
He noted that the World Health Organization, World Organization for Animal? Health Organization, FAO and the World Trade Organization has said that eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products are not infected with human swine influenza way. Responsible for the monitoring plan of the experts also pointed out that the need for chilled and frozen pork to viruses. The spokesman said no record of the University of Hong Kong pig farms in the sample source of supply of live pigs in Hong Kong and the Mainland from local farms, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has again contacted the local pig farmers reminding them to be vigilant the strict implementation of biosecurity measures and maintain good personal hygiene of the farms and, if any unusual circumstances, must immediately inform the AFCD.

http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/32/1/1/1317974/1.html
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**Treyfish** · November 5, 2009, 05:05 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

The new Department of infected swine influenza Wei: No variation to eat pork and replicable
2009 Nian 11 Yue 04 Ri 23:39

Taitung heard of a pig farm there are new influenza H1N1 infection in pigs, for which the Department of Health, said the CDC, H1N1 influenza viruses are zoonotic new infectious disease, the pig virus Taitung mining inspection results, and the current human being the same as the popular new influenza virus and found no variation, so for the public and pig farmers will not be any additional risk, pork cooked food, there will be no security concerns. (Xu Yun Xiang coverage)

The new flu epidemic continues to spread, even the pigs suffer! Taitung has only heard of a pig herd was found infected with a new influenza, CDC chief Hsu-Sung Kuo Department of Health, said the new pigs infected with the flu, runny nose and other cold symptoms may occur, but these pigs are not a result of The new dye flu death, but by euthanasia, quarantine staff from pigs mining inspection, testing a new flu virus, confirmed that a new influenza infected pigs.

Hsu-Sung Kuo said that the pig testing out a new influenza virus H1N1, and is currently a popular hotel which is a new human influenza virus in line, there is no variation, which is why the people there will be no additional risk of new, pork cooked, but also as usual consumption (t).

"Pig virus and human beings are exactly the same for the people in pig farmers do not constitute additional new risks, even when cooked pork for human consumption, was able to eat as usual, no food hygiene and safety concerns."

He explained that a new influenza virus is a zoonotic disease, the virus does in the man-pig between the flow of (t). "Pig infection would be passed back, but the contacts between people, in fact, more than people and pigs in close contact with the new influenza viruses already in circulation in the crowd, people may also be a new influenza virus to pigs, or viruses in pigs and pig transmission. "

Hsu-Sung Kuo cited study abroad, a lot of animals, including cats may be dyed a new influenza, a new influenza virus can be present in the human and pig, focusing on whether the observed changes in the virus is a threat for the people, are worried that the H1N1 and H5N1 recombinant become more toxic it is also easily spread virus, but so far did not happen, the experts are currently not aware of any mixture of recombinant viruses.

http://dailynews.sina.com/bg/tw/twpo...339842083.html

**Treyfish** · November 5, 2009, 05:27 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

Nanshi swine and poultry farm virus test is not random encounters something abnormal
Central News Agency】【China Times 2009-11-05
Department of Health confirmed the infection in pigs in Taitung, a new influenza virus H1N1. Li Chao, director of Tainan City Animal Epidemic Prevention, said today that the whole, Tainan pig farms, poultry farms and migratory bird droppings, monthly sampling the virus, there is no unusual form.

Li Chao-chuen, Tainan City, there are 26 farms and 35 poultry farms, monthly fixed-sample test.

Stool testing of migratory birds along the coast, but also prevention of the focus. Li Chao-chuen, said the Council of Agriculture commissioned the Wild Bird Society launched a nationwide inspection, Tainan coastal areas not yet discovered the virus.

http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2...501442,00.html

**Treyfish** · November 5, 2009, 05:39 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

Taitung other counties and cities of pigs infected with H1N1 epidemic transmission has not yet proved

2009.11.05 06:20 pm

Department of Health confirmed that the Taitung new influenza H1N1 infection in pigs. However, except for pig farm outside Taitung, Taiwan in other parts of pigs infected with H1N1 have been reported although a new influenza, but are vigilant and strengthen disease prevention.

LUI, Taitung County, the 3000 bull pig breeding farms, there are hundreds of pigs 10 days ago have been incidents involving pigs, cough, diarrhea symptoms, Taitung County Livestock Disease Control and Prevention by officers October 27 received a notification to review body testing. Department of Health Disease Control and Prevention confirmed this afternoon the Secretary Hsu-Sung Kuo, Taitung of a new type of pig farms in pigs infected with H1N1 influenza and human influenza virus, the same as new.

Other areas in the south, the Yunlin County Agricultural Commissioner, said Chang Lu Zheng, Yunlin County, the number of pigs raised 1.45 million head, when informed of Taitung pigs infected with H1N1 epidemic spread, immediately notify the pig farm, Yunlin County, meat markets, the strengthening of human and animal disease prevention to guard against possible infection route, Yunlin has yet to spread the epidemic.

Tainan County Livestock Disease Control and Prevention XIE Yao-ching, director of the Institute, Tainan County, about 1,000 field studies on the dangers pig farm, raising about 79 million. Prevention and treatment of persons normally on a regular basis at all farms sampled blood, and then sent to a central designated units can be tested, has not spread infection.

Kaohsiung County, the number of 400 thousand head hog breeding bulls, animal epidemic prevention by keeping the first few of which have been monitored more eight townships 210 or pork, regular sampling of blood sent to testing so far found no new influenza infections.

Song Kun-Tu Yeh, director of County Animal Epidemic Prevention said it has informed the pig industry, such as the management of a cold, do not enter the farms in order to avoid transmission to pigs. And notify the livestock breeding industry tomorrow a new influenza vaccine inoculation. The county has more than 2,200 industry.

Pingtung Livestock Disease Control and Prevention said, Pingtung, the epidemic has not spread. Pig Association, former president of the Republic of China Pan Lian Zhou said that the Republic Pig Association, set for the disinfection of three days a week, some more careful pig farmers, pig farms will be disinfected every day, and he raised 4,000 pigs a week, disinfect 2 times.

County of Hualien in eastern Taiwan, there are 156 pig farms, the number of pigs by about 10 million head of Hualien county Agricultural Development Director Chen Dehui pointed out that the pig farm in the pig, the pig farmers that carry out the disinfection . Usually about 3 to 4 months on the disinfection of pig one time, this time a new case of influenza infection in pigs in Taitung situation, farmers have to be vigilant for the pig, which should be more thorough disinfection.

In addition, the northern Taiwan Kuang-Jung Tsai, Taipei County Bureau of Agriculture, said that Taitung has a new influenza infection in pigs in the message, the North County the morning to start an emergency epidemic prevention mechanism, studies on the dangers of all pigs in all pig farms tube and as soon as epidemic will immediately control, disinfection and culling.

【2009/11/05

http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/BREAKINGNEWS1/5234804.shtml
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**Treyfish** · June 17, 2010, 06:27 PM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

Pandemic virus enters pigs in HK, swaps genes: study

Tan Ee Lyn
HONG KONG
Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:08pm EDT

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>
Reuters.utils.addLoadEvent(function() { Reuters.utils.loadScript('sJSON','/assets/multimediaJSON?articleId=USTRE65G5P320100617&setIm age=300&view=100&startNumber=1') });</SCRIPT>HONG KONG (Reuters) - The H1N1 swine flu virus has been spreading quietly in pigs in Hong Kong and swapping genes with other viruses, and researchers said the findings support calls for tighter disease surveillance in pigs before new bugs can emerge and infect people.
The finding, published in Science on Friday, is important as it supports the theory that flu viruses infecting swine can swap genes with other viruses that are in pigs, including more dangerous bugs like the H5N1 or H9N2 bird flu viruses.
Malik Peiris, an influenza expert who worked on the study, said the discovery underlines the importance of disease surveillance in pigs.
"It demonstrates the pandemic virus can easily go back to pigs. Once it does so, it can reassort with other pig viruses and give rise to potentially unexpected consequences," said Peiris, a microbiology professor at the University of Hong Kong.
Peiris and colleagues, including Guan Yi at the University of Hong Kong, have found pandemic H1N1 viruses in nasal swabs taken from apparently healthy pigs at a Hong Kong abattoir during routine checks since October 2009.
"From genetic analysis, what it suggests is each of those viruses we found in pigs all came from humans," Peiris said in a telephone interview.
"It is not surprising because the pandemic virus emerged from pigs, so it is not surprising that it goes back to pigs."

PANDEMIC VIRUS SWAPS GENES IN PIGS
A sample isolated from Hong Kong pigs in January 2010 carried genes from three viruses - the pandemic H1N1, a European "avian like" H1N1 and a so-called "triple reassortant" virus containing bits of human, pig and bird flu viruses which was first discovered in North America in 1998.
"This suggests that the pig is a place where the pandemic virus might actually change and reassort and get new properties possibly," Peiris said.
"The pandemic virus in humans has been extremely stable. It hasn't changed at all even though people were concerned it might reassort and mix with human viruses ... but it seems that it can mix with other flu viruses (in a pig)."
Genetic research has suggested that H1N1, first identified in people in April 2009, had in fact been circulating for at least a decade and probably in pigs. Despite tight controls on herd to protect them from people, little checking is done globally to see whether food herds are infected and if so, with what viruses.
Studies in the past year have turned up pigs in Canada and other countries infected with the pandemic H1N1 virus, evidently carried to the animals by people.
"I must emphasize the point that it doesn't mean that pork is dangerous to eat at all (if well cooked). What it means is it is important to carry out systematic surveillance in pigs so we know what is going on in pigs in regard to influenza viruses in general and the pandemic virus in particular," Peiris said.
Pigs are the reservoir of many human, bird and swine viruses and experts often refer to them as an ideal mixing vessel for new, and possibly more dangerous pathogens.
Asked if there was a possibility of the H1N1 getting mixed up with the H5N1, Peiris said: "That is certainly a possibility, that's why we need to keep track.
"If it is quite able to readily reassort and pick up genes from pig viruses, you might have other combinations of genes that can arise. Unless we are alert to it, we potentially could have a virus that is ... more virulent coming back to humans."
Although H5N1 is a mostly avian virus, it causes more severe illness in people than seasonal flu and kills 60 percent of the people it infects. It has infected 499 people and killed 295 of them since re-emerging in 2003.
The World Health Organization said early in June that the H1N1 pandemic was not yet over although its most intense activity has passed in many parts of the world.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65G5P320100617

**sharon sanders** · June 17, 2010, 06:39 PM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

Reassortment of Pandemic H1N1/2009 Influenza A Virus in Swine (Science, Abstract, edited)

Science. Reassortment of Pandemic H1N1/2009 Influenza A Virus in Swine - FluTrackers News and Information

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148069

**tetano** · June 18, 2010, 02:00 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) ? Viral rearrangement in pigs is producing new influenza A viruses containing bits and pieces of the H1N1 strain involved in last year's pandemic, according to a new paper appearing online today in Science.

A Chinese research team used phylogenetic analyses to assess nearly three dozen H1N1 and H1N2 flu strains isolated from pigs at a Hong Kong slaughterhouse over almost a year, focusing largely on the 10 H1N1 2009 pandemic strains that have turned up there since last fall. The researchers found that while all of the H1N1/2009 isolates shared genes from the same lineage, those collected earlier were not genetically identical to those found more recently.

"[V]iruses from different sampling dates were genetically distinct from each other and also from H1N1/2009-like swine viruses isolated in other countries," Yi Guan, a microbiology and infectious disease researcher affiliated with the University of Hong Kong and Shantou University Medical College, and co-authors wrote, "indicating multiple independent introductions of these viruses from humans to swine."

The team also found that one of the isolates collected this year contained a gene from H1N1/2009 in combination with genes from other H1N1 and H1N2 viruses.

Consequently, they are urging increased surveillance of pig populations for tracking the viral reassortment, which they say could potentially spawn new forms of human flu.

"The 2009 pandemic, although mild and apparently contained at present, could undergo further reassortment in swine and gain virulence," the researchers wrote. "It is therefore important that surveillance in swine is greatly heightened and that all eight gene segments are genetically characterized so that such reassortment events are rapidly identified."

Past analyses of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 flu virus suggests it originated from the combination of flu strains from swine, bird, and human flu viruses ? and likely circulated in pigs for several months before the first human infections were reported.

For the current study, researchers focused on 32 influenza strains isolated from pigs at a Hong Kong slaughterhouse. These included 10 H1N1/2009 strains, five European avian-like H1N1 strains, a single triple-reassorted H1N2 virus, and 16 other reassorted viruses.

Consistent with H1N1/2009 emergence outside of China, the team did not find any pandemic H1N1 flu in the pigs until they looked at samples collected last October ? roughly four months after the World Health Organization declared an H1N1 pandemic.

But their phylogenetic analyses did turn up at least one reassorted virus containing a combination of H1N1/2009 genes not identified in the past.

When they investigated this isolate further, looking at the source of all eight genes, the researchers found that the virus contained one gene from H1N1/2009, one from a European avian-like H1N1 strain, and six more genes resembling those in triple-reassorted H1N2 strains.

Based on these findings, those involved in the study say additional research is needed to understand the genetic underpinnings of existing flu strains. And, they added, the presence of the reassorted strain in Chinese pigs ? combined with past reports of bird and mammalian flu strains circulating in China ? should spur increased flu surveillance efforts.

Just a moment...

http://www.genomeweb.com/chinese-team-finds-rearranged-h1n1-flu-hong-kong-pigs

**sharon sanders** · June 18, 2010, 05:34 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

H1N1 Demonstrates 95% Instability In Critical Genetics Range with Extensive Bird Flu Inclusions

FluTrackers News and Information

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=359057#post359057

**Giuseppe** · June 18, 2010, 10:45 AM

Re: New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

HK researchers detect reassortment of A/H1N1 flu virus (Xinhua, edited)

[Source: Xinhua, <cite cite="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-06/18/c_13357208.htm">HK researchers detect reassortment of A/H1N1 flu virus</cite>.]

HK researchers detect reassortment of A/H1N1 flu virus

English.news.cn 2010-06-18 17:34:43

HONG KONG, June 18 (Xinhua)

Hong Kong researchers identified that A/H1N1 influenza virus has undergone genetic reassortment to give rise to a novel A/H1N1 virus on pigs, according to a study done by the University of Hong Kong which made the result public here Friday.

The new virus has genes from the A/H1N1 influenza virus and other pig influenza viruses, told the research findings, which demonstrated that A/H1N1 flu virus may change in unpredictable ways in pigs and such viruses may have relevance to global public health.

While there is no indication that the particular reassortant virus detected by the university poses an immediate threat to humans, the study result emphasizes the need for systematic surveillance of flu viruses in pigs worldwide, the university said.

"Our findings emphasize the need for animal and public health authorities to work closely together to maintain surveillance of influenza viruses in pigs so that any unexpected changes in these viruses are rapidly detected and their significance rapidly evaluated," said Malik Peiris, Professor of the university's Department of Microbiology.

He also reminded the public not to panic about eating pork, saying that pigs and pork products do not pose an influenza-threat to humans provided good hygiene measures are maintained and pork is well cooked.

The research has been published in an international scientific journal -- "Science".

Editor: Mo Hong'e
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New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

New influenza H1N1 virus infection in pigs in Hong Kong

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