Mycoplasma complicates testing in Alberta flu barn

Friday, May 8, 2009

© AgMedia Inc.
by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials researching a disease outbreak at a quarantined Alberta swine operation do not know yet how widespread the H1N1 influenza A virus is in the herd.

Occupational health issues, such as equipment training and testing workers’ respirators, have stalled testing, says Dr. Jim Clark, the agency’s spokesperson. On top of that, a mycoplasma (bacterial) infection in the herd is complicating officials’ ability to identify how many animals are sick with the flu.

Overcrowding is becoming an issue. The farm normally markets 100-120 hogs each week. The quarantine was announced May 2.

The H1N1 A flu is known to have killed 42 people in Mexico, two in the United States and infected more than 2,300 others worldwide.

The Alberta outbreak is the only reported instance of humans transmitting the strain to animals. Clark warns there is a “fairly high probability” of other herds becoming infected with the virus “if there was sufficient exposure of swine to individuals with influenza-like illness.”

He says the animals are recovering, noting there are “fewer and fewer animals all the time showing any evidence of a cough or sneezing.” Based on how a typical H1 or H3 flu strain would affect a herd, enough time has probably elapsed for the animals to be exposed and begin developing an immune response, he adds.

Researchers don’t yet know if the virus will affect avian populations. Clark says there have been no reports to date of the virus affecting chickens and turkeys in Canada and the United States. While wild birds can get H1 influenza, there are no records of transmission of this strain to domestic populations. Historically, H5 and H7 flu strains have posed the greatest threat to domestic fowl.

Clark urges hog farmers to practice strict biosecurity such as changing clothes and shoes before entering a barn, restricting entry to essential personnel, washing hands and prohibiting entry to anyone with the flu.

Spread of the disease in hog populations would put workers at risk and increase chances of the virus mixing with another flu virus to become a new strain. “Clearly what we’re dealing with in the human side is a further dissemination of this H1N1,” he says.

The Agency will lift the quarantine at the Alberta farm once animals show negative results for the virus in at least two weekly tests and there’s “substantial” indication that the majority have built immunity, he says.

Compensation is a concern for the producer and Clark expects federal and provincial risk management programs will help.

A carpenter who dealt exclusively with the farm exposed the animals to the virus when he returned to work April 14 after visiting Mexico.

Several countries have imposed bans on Canadian pork. On Thursday, the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reissued a statement emphasizing that properly handled and prepared pork products “will not be a source of infection.” BF