Released April 29, 2009
LINCOLN, Neb. — Despite its name, don't blame the recent outbreak of swine flu on pigs, said the director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Swine influenza comes from a family of viruses and got its name simply from the history and evolution of the virus, said Scott McVey, director of UNL's Veterinary Diagnostic Center in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Swine flu comes from a family of viruses with elements of human, swine and avian viruses.
"Pork is not to blame for the swine flu and properly inspected pork is safe to eat," he said. "Pork really is getting a bum rap for all this."
Cases of the swine flu in Nebraska hog operations have historically been sporadic and relatively low in number, and McVey said there is no evidence of this changing.
"None of the North American instances of swine flu have been linked to direct contact with pigs," McVey said. "But, some of the ancestors of this current virus probably did come from swine."
The virus has been isolated by the Centers for Disease Control, although it is still unknown if the virus can replicate in pigs. The virus does spread from person to person.
McVey urged pork producers to continue to use standard bio-security practices to prevent swine flu from becoming an issue on their operation.
The CDC continues to work with swine flu around the clock, McVey said. Many of the North American cases of the virus have been traced back to recent visits to Mexico. None have any known direct link to swine.
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http://ianrnews.unl.edu/static/0904292.shtml
Contacts: D Scott McVey, (402) 472-8469
Sandi Alswager Karstens, (402) 472-3030
