The Pig Journal website is brought to you in association with ThePigSite.com
The Pig Journal is published by UK Pig Veterinary Society and can be contacted here
The Pig Journal
 
Home
Pig Journal Index
News Archives
Published Articles

Buy On-line
Manual Order Form

PVS web site
Other Links

Search This Site
Submissions
Contact us


Pig Journal Volume: 56
Publication date: November 2005

Proceedings Section

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SWINE INFLUENZA IN GREAT BRITAIN AND EMERGING GLOBAL ISSUES
I.H. Brown

Abstract
Pigs serve as a major reservoir of H1N1, H3N2 and H1N2 influenza viruses that are endemic in pig populations worldwide and are responsible for one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases in pigs. The maintenance of these viruses in pigs and the frequent exchange of viruses between pigs and other species are facilitated directly by swine husbandry practices which provide for a continual supply of susceptible pigs that have regular contact with other species, particularly humans. Surveillance studies in the UK since 1991 have revealed a changing epidemiology through emergence, variation and disappearance of virus strains. Currently, avian-like swine H1N1 and swine H1N2 viruses co-circulate; but continual exchange of genes between viruses provides a heterogenous population of virus genotypes. Increasingly, farming of mixed species, including pigs, has been shown to present an increased risk for the transmission of novel viruses for pigs. Recent reports of infection of pigs with emerging avian subtypes such as H9, H7 and H5 emphasise the importance of ongoing surveillance programmes to enable early detection of these viruses should they acquire the ability to spread readily between pigs and become significant disease-causing pathogens.

Add to Basket
 
 
www.pigvetsoc.org.uk © Copyright The Pig Veterinary Society 2004

 

Sunday 23rd November

Our Main Sponsors
 
Supporting Partners