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INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (15): CANADA (ALBERTA) SWINE WORKERS
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A ProMED-mail post
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ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 21 Jul 2009
Source: The Canadian Press [edited]
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hH82mfL5zWkEAMfo8r60iM_R3Dww>
CFIA inspectors caught swine flu investigating Alberta pig farm outbreak
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Two Canadian Food Inspection Agency [CFIA] inspectors appear to have
contracted swine flu while investigating an outbreak of the new virus
in pigs on an Alberta farm in late April [2009], the agency confirmed
Tuesday [21 Jul 2009].
The cases appear to be the 1st reports of people catching the new
H1N1 virus from pigs.
While the pandemic virus is of swine origin, it was found in people
first. Pigs are not currently believed to be playing a role in
ongoing transmission of the virus.
The agency said in emailed answers to questions that it's impossible
to say with 100 per cent certainty that the inspectors were infected
by the animals. But the infections took place in the early days of
the swine flu outbreak, when few cases were being reported in Canada.
It's known that the men did not use proper safety techniques while in
the barn, apparently removing the N-95 respirators that covered their
noses and mouths because they were hot. "We conducted a review of the
situation and determined that CFIA protocols for personal protection
were not fully observed in this case," the agency's email said.
The agency said it doesn't intend to change protocols for conducting
this type of investigation because its existing protocols, if
complied with, would have been adequate to protect the workers.
"Supervisors are being asked to ensure inspection staff have received
the appropriate training and understand the procedures before being
assigned to the investigation."
The Alberta pig farm incident was the 1st report ever of this new
virus being found in pigs. The source of the infection in the pigs
remains a mystery and the handling of the case has been anything but
smooth.
Officials at first identified a carpenter who worked briefly on the
farm while ill with flu-like symptoms as being the source of the
infection. But the man, who had recently returned from a trip to
Mexico, was later told tests showed he was never infected with the
new virus.
There were reports that members of the farm family were also sick
shortly before the pigs started showing symptoms. But samples taken
from them were not adequate to confirm or dismiss them as possible
sources of the infection. Officials now admit they'll likely never
know how the virus was introduced into the herd.
Argentina recently reported 2 more cases of person-to-pig
transmission of the new virus.
Influenza experts are not surprised the virus can infect pigs and
pass back from them to people. But they worry that if this type of
ping-ponging occurs, it will drive the viruses to mutate.
It's impossible to predict what the outcome of that type of evolution
would be, but it could undermine the effectiveness of swine flu
vaccine currently being developed for people.
Earl Brown, an expert in influenza virus evolution, called the trend
towards increasing interspecies transmission of flu viruses
"disquieting." "When it was in Alberta, you had this virus of swine
origin ... and then you had the question: Well, is it now a human flu
or is it a swine flu? And it's clear that it's both," said Brown, a
virologist at the University of Ottawa. He said there has been rapid
evolution of flu viruses in pigs in recent years, as well as cases of
avian influenza viruses, including the dangerous H5N1 virus, jumping
into people.
In the influenza world, pigs are described as the mixing vessel,
because they can be infected with both bird viruses and human viruses
-- giving rise to hybrids that they can pass back to people. "You
just don't want the pig to be the conduit for all these adapted
viruses they've got from birds," Brown said.
"I think the general trend is not good but this particular virus, you
know it's still an open book at to whether it's going to tone down,
or it's going to become more like a seasonal flu fast, or if it's
going to ramp up. We really can't predict and we're just watching and
trying to read the numbers."
[Byline: Helen Branswell]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Following protocol for personal safety is critically important with
viruses of slightly unknown nature. - Mod.TG]
[The province of Alberta can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00bA>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
[see also:
Influenza A virus, new - Canada: (SK) hog farm workers 20090708.2449
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (13) swine, Canada, origin, RFI 20090615.2215
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (10) swine, Canada, cull 20090514.1813
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (09), swine, Canada 20090513.1790
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (07), swine, Canada, OIE 20090506.1691
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (06), Canada, OIE 20090505.1683
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (05), swine, Canada, FAO 20090505.1680
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (04), infected swine, Canada 20090502.1653
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (07): Argentina, swine, alert 20090718.2557
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (17), Argentina, OIE 20090703.2401
Influenza A (H1N1): animal health (16), Argentina, swine, OIE 20090626.2322]
...................................tg/mj/lm
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