Swine Flu in People, Pigs and Other Pets
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With the recent outbreak of swine flu in the US, Mexico, Canada and overseas, there have been a lot questions about the virus that causes swine flu.
What is swine flu?
Swine flu, or swine influenza, is caused by an influenza virus which is one of many strains of influenza viruses in existence. Ordinarily, swine flu is passed from pigs to pigs or occasionally from pigs to people. However, with this new outbreak, swine flu is now able to pass from person to person, which greatly facilitates the spread of the disease.
In the past, most cases of swine flu in people revolved around contact with pigs. With this new outbreak of swine flu, that is no longer the case. In fact, none of the people infected in the US had any contact with pigs, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
How do people get swine flu?
As stated above, with this recent outbreak of swine flu, contact with another infected person is responsible for the spread of the virus. The virus is spread through respiratory secretions, so coughing and sneezing are big factors in the transmission.
How do pigs get swine flu?
Pigs normally get swine flu from contact with other infected pigs. Contaminated equipment, skin and clothing can also be responsible for spreading swine influenza to pigs.
Pigs can also get influenza from people (human influenza) and from infected birds (avian influenza).
It is unclear whether this latest strain of swine flu, which is responsible for the outbreak in the human population, could be passed from people to pigs. However, it seems reasonable to believe that such may be the case.
It is possible, although not yet confirmed, that pet pigs, such as pot bellied pigs, could potentially be infected with this new strain of swine influenza as well.
Are other kinds of animals susceptible to swine flu?
Addendum to article: Since the publication of this article, H1N1 influenza, previously known as swine flu, has been recognized in dogs, cats and ferrets.
What type of symptoms does swine flu cause?
In pigs, symptoms are primarily respiratory and include coughing (which may sound like a bark), sneezing, nasal and ocular discharges, fever, lack of appetite, reddened and/or inflamed eyes and difficulty breathing.
In people, symptoms are similar and are usually respiratory in nature, although vomiting and diarrhea has also been reported with the current outbreak of swine flu.
What can a pet owner do to protect a pet?
Pet pigs, including pot bellied pigs, could potentially be at risk and a vaccination against swine flu may be a valid consideration if a pet pot bellied pig is not already vaccinated. However, it is not currently known how much protection the routine influenza vaccine given to pigs will provide against this particular strain of influenza virus. Isolating pet pot bellied pigs from people who are sick may be advisable as well, particularly if the symptoms are flu-like in nature.
For other types of pets, hygienic precautions such as hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes should be taken.
How can a person protect himself and his family against swine flu?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends good hygiene, stressing frequent hand washing, covering the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, avoiding close contact such as hugging or kissing and staying home from work or school if sick.
The CDC has also issued a travel advisory urging people to postpone non-essential travel to areas where known cases of human swine flu have been diagnosed.
Can a person get swine flu from eating pork?
No, swine flu is a respiratory infection and is spread through respiratory secretions. Eating pork is perfectly safe as long as the pork is cooked thoroughly. There is no need for people to give up consuming pork products because of the threat of swine flu.
