Swine Flu Sleuths Hope Idaho Gets Proactive … on the Farm
Friday, May 1, 2009
Boise, ID – While it’s unclear where the current strain of the swine flu originated and how it’s spreading, one expert says the clues point to industrial pig farms in the same area as the first documented cases in Veracruz, Mexico.
Bob Martin, senior officer for Pew Environment Group, admits there’s no proof of where the current flu strain came from yet, but the scenario is familiar to him because it follows a study that inspired some states to phase in safer industrial farming practices. It's information he hopes Idaho notices.
"A year ago, we released a report and we said this is a very strong concern. At the time, we were saying it’s not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when.’"
California is one of the states phasing in new industrial animal farming rules, including requiring more space for animals. Smithfield Foods Inc., the company that owns concentrated animal feeding operations in the area of the first flu cases, has said it’s impossible the virus came from their facilities because their testing shows the virus is not present in the animals. In fact, Mexico's chief epidemiologist, said in an interview Thursday that pigs at the suspect farm are from North America, while the genetic material in the virus is from Europe and Asia.
Regardless, Martin says the close proximity of animals in industrial operations allows them to pass viruses back and forth to each other, which can lead to mutations able to make the jump to workers in close contact with the animals.
"Like viral incubators – there might be 10 to 15 thousand pigs in one facility, with workers experiencing prolonged exposure from the pigs."
The report recommends farm workers be tested for flu regularly because the first wave of people infected often show no symptoms.
The report mentioned is at www.ncifap.org.
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