Thailand. Influenza cases reported in pigs - Nationmultimedia.com

[Giuseppe]

Thailand. Influenza cases reported in pigs - Nationmultimedia.com

TYPE A (H1N1) Influenza cases reported in pigs

By The Nation
Published on December 17, 2009


The Agriculture Ministry has found some pigs coming down with a variation of the type-A (H1N1) influenza.

"However, their number is not high. We should be able to contain it to just some areas," the ministry's permanent secretary, Yukol Limlamthong, said yesterday.

He said the Livestock Development Department would be trying to determine how the infections happened.

More details will be revealed when the Agriculture Ministry holds a press conference today. Disease Control Department (DCD) director-general Dr Manit Thiratantikanont said people should now avoid getting into close contact with pigs or animals with flu symptoms.

"It's easy for transmissions to take place," he warned.

DCD deputy director-general Dr Somchai Nijpanich said as the influenza virus usually could spread from humans to animals and vice versa, it was possible that the type-A (H1N1) would be able to do the same.

"We have to monitor the movement closely. We will also need to warn farmers about the risk," he said.

Since the outbreak of the type-A (H1N1) influenza earlier this year, it has claimed 190 lives in Thailand. One death was reported recently, signalling a second wave of the outbreak has already started.

The Public Health Ministry has now announced that the vaccine against the type-A (H1N1) virus will be available to Thais from January 11 onward.

There will be 2 million doses in stock.

The DCD said the vaccine will be given on a priority basis to health professionals who have to treat patients, pregnant women, obese people, people with severe disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart diseases.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi yesterday sought to assure that the vaccine for Thais would be safe and efficient.

Public doubts about the vaccine grew after it was reported yesterday that thousands of almost similar doses for children were recalled in the United States. The recalling took place after tests showed they might not be strong enough to protect against the virus.

"The vaccine for us will be from France, not the US," the deputy public health minister explained.

So far, the manufacturer in both the US and France is Sanofi Pasteur.

"The problem in the US took place during the distribution process but Thai authorities are going to ensure that the storage, the distribution and the transport of the vaccines here will be of good standard," Manit said.

DCD director-general Dr Manit said the vaccines should be kept in a temperature range of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.

"My agency is now preparing guidelines on the vaccination for hospitals. They should be ready before the end of this week," he said.
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<cite cite="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/12/17/national/national_30118672.php">Influenza cases reported in pigs - Nationmultimedia.com</cite>

[Ronan Kelly]

Thailand confirms first case of human-to-pig swine flu

Thailand confirms first case of human-to-pig swine flu


Thu, Dec 17, 2009
AFP



BANGKOK, THAILAND - Thailand confirmed Thursday its first case of a pig infected with swine flu spread from humans, senior officials said.


Agriculture minister Thira Wongsamut said that one of 80 pigs in a sample group tested for the virus at Kasertsart University farm in the central province of Sara Buri had contracted A(H1N1) influenza.


"It was only in one sample that we found the A(H1N1)," Thira said.



The ministry has quarantined a five kilometre-radius around the farm, where university research is carried out, as a precautionary measure, he said, adding that new health checks would be conducted at the farm every three days.


The ministry's permanent secretary Yukol Limlamthong said that none of the 132 workers at the university farm had contracted swine flu. He could not confirm if a research student had brought the virus in.


"We can not prove that, but the test results show the pig contracted the virus from a human," Yukol said.


Thira said that eating pork did not pose a danger.


"The virus spread from human to pigs, as in several countries. We've had no case of it spreading from pigs to humans," he said.


Since the swine flu outbreak began in April, the ministry said it has tested more than 26,000 pigs for the virus.


It has confirmed 29,741 human cases of the flu and 190 of those were fatal.


The Thai government has a one-million dollar fund set aside to combat swine flu. --AFP

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Health/Story/A1Story20091217-186509.html

[Treyfish]

Re: Thailand confirms first case of human-to-pig swine flu

Virus H1N1: Thailand confirms a case of human transmission of pork
17/12/2009 10:09


Thailand has reported having identified a first case of transmission of influenza H1N1 human pork in a province of central Iraq.



The Agriculture Minister Thira Wongsamut said one pig on a sample of 80 tested in the farm of the University of Sara Buri had tested positive for H1N1. A quarantine has been declared a radius of five kilometers around the farm, he said, adding that there are checks carried out every three days. The Permanent Secretary Ministry Yukol Limlamthong said that none of the 132 university employees had tested positive and could not say whether he was a student researcher who had transmitted the virus. "But the test results show that pigs had contracted the virus from a man," he said, adding that consumption of pork was safe. Since the beginning of the epidemic, the Thai authorities have tested 26,000 pigs. Nearly 30,000 human cases were identified of which 190 died. (OSN)http://levif.rnews.be/belga/generale...e-au-porc.html

[Shiloh]

Re: Thailand. Influenza cases reported in pigs - Nationmultimedia.com

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...ig-catches-flu


National alert as pig catches flu
Officials investigate source of H1N1 virus

* Published: 18/12/2009 at 12:00 AM

Farmers and pigs across the nation are under close watch after Thailand confirmed its first case of a pig contracting type-A (H1N1) influenza at a Kasetsart University research centre.



The centre checked 80 out of 600 pigs at its Tap Kwang research grounds in Kaeng Khoi district of Saraburi early this month and confirmed on Monday one was infected with the virus.

"It was in only one sample that we found H1N1," Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut said. He said the pig was believed to have caught the virus from a student at the centre.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives and Public Health ministries have decided to keep a close watch on all farms. The main targets are farms within a 5km radius of the centre.

Permanent secretary for public health Paijit Warachit said the temporary quarantine of officials and university students at the centre was essential as they had been in close contact with the pig found to be infected with the flu.

He said general farm workers with flu-like symptoms were advised to stay away from pigs and poultry to reduce the risk of different strains of the virus forming.

Health authorities have conducted tests on local people and have found no H1N1 infections, he said.

Permanent secretary for agriculture Yukol Limlamthong said the Livestock Development Department had asked all pig farmers who have flu-like symptoms or respiratory problems to seek medical treatment and suspend farm activities.

Officials are investigating how the pig was infected. Thaneerat Santiwat, dean of the university's veterinary faculty, said it could not be established that the animal contracted the virus from a student.

Students at the research station were tested regularly and those who fall ill are not allowed to enter the premises, he said.

Scientists have been concerned the H1N1 virus could mix with more dangerous strains in a process called genetic reassortment or recombination, particularly in Southeast Asia where the H5N1 virus or bird flu are still circulating in poultry.

Director of the Epidemiology Bureau Pasakorn Akarasevi said he was not surprised by the discovery.

"Canada, Japan and the United States have previously reported the spread of the H1N1 influenza from farm workers to pigs," he said. "It is thought the incident reported in Thailand is similar."

Dr Pasakorn said he was confident the chances of the virus mixing with more dangerous strains such as bird flu were slim.

Mr Yukol said the economic impact from the first confirmed case of a pig contracting the H1N1 virus was unlikely to be significant.

"The virus spread from human to pigs, as in several countries," he said. "We've had no case of it spreading from pigs to humans."

Nopporn Vayuchote, executive vice president of Betagro Group, the country's leading pork producer, said pork cooked properly was safe for consumption.

The virus would normally die if exposed to temperatures higher than 56C for 15 to 30 minutes.

President of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand Surachai Sutthitham said it was not yet certain whether the spread would affect Thailand's 70 billion baht pork industry.

However, he said the report might have a psychological impact on consumers.

Local pork retail prices have remained high for several weeks, at about 115 baht a kilogramme. The prices were predicted by the industry to increase to more than 120 baht/kg during the New Year festive season.

Mr Surachai said the association had directed pig raisers to strictly monitor their farm management, particularly for the entry of visitors and vehicles as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus.

Thailand raises about 12 million pigs a year. About 70% are raised on closed farms. The country last year shipped about 14,000 tonnes of chilled and processed meat.