Swine flu viruses were first detected in North America in 1930. Pigs are susceptible to influenza, be it porcine (pig), avian (bird), or human, and they are well-known crucibles; just add a few viruses, stir, and voila! You’ve created a new virus!

Artealia Gilliard, Press Officer for the Center for Disease Control says, “In a setting such as a farm where chickens, humans, and pigs live in close proximity, pigs act as an influenza virus ‘mixing bowl’. If a pig is infected with avian and human flu simultaneously, the two types of virus may exchange genes. Such a “reassorted” flu virus can sometimes spread from pigs to people.”

Smithfield, a U.S. company, runs an industrial pig farm with 950,000 hogs near La Gloria, Mexico, first said to be ground zero for this virus. While Mexican authorities claim the Smithfield pigs were tested and found free of disease, Steven Trunnell (whose wife Judy was the first U.S. resident to die from novel H1N1) remains unconvinced. He filed a petition against Smithfield Foods to investigate claims that the massive industrialized farm with its overcrowded conditions and poor hygiene was the source of the outbreak.

New information released by the media on July 24th states that a new patient zero has been identified, a baby girl from Northern Mexico with no known contact with pig farms.

Whether or not the Mexican pig farm is the source of the pandemic, industrialized pig farming is not exonerated. Scientists know hogs that novel H1N1 was derived from several viruses circulating in the swine population for the last several years. Overcrowded, unsanitary conditions of industrialized animal farms perpetuate and spread disease among the pig population and the human population.

Overflow from animal sewage contaminates water supplies, and insects such as flies carry disease from open sewage cesspools. Overcrowding increases the spread of disease within a herd. Overflow from animal sewage contaminates water supplies, and insects such as flies carry disease from open sewage cesspools. Overcrowding increases the spread of disease within a herd.

Two large industrial pig farms have since reported outbreaks of novel H1N1. The first, in Alberta, Canada, reported that an outbreak began on April 21, 2009. Of 2020 pigs, 450 were infected. The farm’s report to The World Animal Health Information Database states: “A carpenter hired by the farm owner (ALB-001) travelled to Mexico recently and returned to Canada on 12 April 2009. The carpenter, producer and the producer’s family had been ill with flu like symptoms between 14 — 29 April. Investigation of human cases by the Public Health authorities is underway.” The Alberta Health Department ruled out the farm worker as the source of the infection.

The second report, dated June 6, 2009, sad pig reveals the pig count had grown to 3013 pigs. The farmer culled (killed) 500 pigs due to overcrowded conditions and later destroyed the entire herd. The report states that the animals recovered from the flu, but no slaughterhouse was willing to take them. “…the owner petitioned the Alberta provincial government for the destruction of the herd for economic reasons, to allow him to exit the situation and resume operation with a replacement herd. The culling of the herd was NOT an ordered destruction as the result of animal or human disease considerations.”

A new strain of influenza A which contains seasonal flu genes and swine flu infected pig farm workers in Saskatchewan.

In Buenos Aires another large industrialized pig farm has verified novel H1N1 infection. Of 5586 pigs, 1676 are infected, a 30% morbidity rate, and Australia has reported one farm’s pigs to be infected, suggesting human to pig transmission.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it will no longer quarantine pig farms with novel H1N1. Their reasons are as follows:

• There is no food safety risk associated with the virus;
• There is no evidence at this time that animals are playing a significant role in the spread of the virus in the general human population; and,
• The virus does not behave any differently in pigs from other influenza viruses commonly detected in swine herds.

After the quarantine of the Alberta herd ended in destruction because slaughterhouses refused to process the animals, this new decision not to quarantine seems to be driven by monetary concerns. How have we had enough experience with novel H1N1 infected stock to decide they pose no health risk?

Humans are susceptible to animal diseases ranging from mad cow disease to novel H1N1 flu. Our current farming practices of feeding animals unnatural foods that cause acidity and disease, overcrowded and cramped conditions that cause disease and the spread of disease within a species as well as species to species, and the problematic over accumulation of waste products due to industrialized farming display a clear and present danger. How many lives will be lost before we reverse this trend? Or will big business prevail, ignoring basic animal rights while killing our citizens with industrialized farm born disease?

Is it time for face masks, vaccinations, and quarantines?

Influenza, or flu, is a highly contagious viral respiratory infection which results in fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, and congestion. Diarrhea and vomiting may also occur; children are more likely to suffer from these gastrointestinal symptoms.

Chronic health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes increase the risk of complications such as sinus infections, ear infections, dehydration, bacterial pneumonia, and respiratory failure.

Each year an average of 200,000 Americans are hospitalized with seasonal flu; an average of 36,000 die. The CDC’s July 24th update reports 43,771 cases of novel H1N1 (called Swine Flu) in the United States (this number is not indicative of hospitalizations) and 302 reported deaths. So if we currently show a Swine Flu mortality rate that is .00838% of the annual seasonal flu rate, why the hysteria? There are many reasons. But in order to understand the current frenzy, it helps to start with a basic understanding of influenza.

Influenza isn’t limited to humans. Birds and other mammals including ducks, chickens, pigs, horses, ferrets, seals, whales, dogs, and minks suffer from the flu as well. Each influenza virus strain spreads easily within its natural hosts (bird to bird, pig to pig, and so forth) but an influenza strain can shift and jump to another species–bird to pig, horse to dog, pig or bird to human.

Since the 1990s, a particularly virulent strain of bird flu (avian flu) has spread from wild birds to chickens and turkeys. Millions of birds were killed by the flu. Hundreds of millions more have been killed in an effort to stop the spread of the disease. This virus has infected humans; however, to date, it has not evolved to efficiently spread from human to human.

In 1918 the worst recorded global flu pandemic–an avian flu–killed between 50-100 million people world wide. This horrific flu struck hard and fast, sometimes killing its victims within hours. In addition to death by pneumonia, a secondary infection, the flu itself was deadly, causing edema in the lungs and hemorrhagic complications. In many cases, the afflicted bled from the lungs, stomach, intestines, eyes, nose, and ears. Petechial hemorrhages (bleeding under the skin) were so severe, bodies were tagged for race, as it became difficult to differentiate a victim’s race post mortem.

Influenza viruses mutate and change over time. Artealia A. Gilliard of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta explained through a written Q&A that the two ways influenza viruses change are through antigenic drift or antigenic shift. Antigenic drift refers to the “small changes in the virus that happen continually over time. Antigenic drift produces new virus strains that may not be recognized by the body’s immune system.”

H1N1

If an influenza virus sweeps across America infecting Mary Smith, Mary’s immune system will produce antibodies that recognize this influenza, antibodies that provide immunity if Mary is later exposed to the same virus.

The next year when the virus comes back around, Mary’s immune system still recognizes this virus. Even though the virus will have undergone antigenic drift, it will remain very similar to the previous year’s strain. Over time (over a number of years) antigenic drift will render the virus unrecognizable to Mary’s immune system and re-infection can or will occur. “The other type of change is called ‘antigenic shift.’ Antigenic shift is an abrupt, major change in the influenza A viruses,” writes Ms. Gilliard. “…[Antigenic] shift results in a new influenza A subtype. When shift happens, most people have little or no protection against the new virus.” “While influenza viruses are changing by antigenic drift all the time,” she writes, “antigenic shift happens only occasionally.” Novel H1N1 is a type A influenza. Genetically, it is a combination of avian, porcine (pig), and human flu. “In a setting such as a farm where chickens, humans, and pigs live in close proximity, pigs act as an influenza virus ‘mixing bowl’,” writes Ms. Gillard. “If a pig is infected with avian and human flu simultaneously, the two types of virus may exchange genes. Such a ‘reassorted’ flu virus can sometimes spread from pigs to people.”

This is an antigenic shift, which results in a new influenza A subtype, to which most people have little or no immune protection. “If this new virus causes illness in people and can be transmitted easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic can occur.”

We have seen combinations of avian, porcine, and human influenza before, but Ms. Gillard tells us that we have not seen this combination before.

Swine Flu Vaccine…H1N1 virus, has spread to 70 countries…

In the 1918 pandemic, three waves of the virus swept across the United States within one year rather than the usual one wave per year. The first wave’s mortality rate was lower than a typical seasonal flu. The second and third waves were deadly. The first wave struck in spring, the second in fall, the third in winter. The 1918 pandemic was caused by an influenza A, H1N1 virus.

Now, in 2009, novel H1N1, a highly contagious influenza A, H1N1 virus, has spread to 70 countries around the world within 4 months of its identification. And while the morbidity count has been low and the vast majority of people infected with novel H1N1 have recovered without medical intervention, we need to remember that flu season has not yet begun.

We don’t know if we have only seen the first wave of the year or if novel H1N1 will behave as the majority of influenza viruses in the past have behaved, circulating in a drifted form a year later with no discernable change in virility. Will we be hit with a second or third wave? Will its severity increase like the pandemic virus of 1918? No one knows.

So, once again, why the sense of panic? Some fear the disease, some fear the lack of vaccine, some fear the vaccines and fear the Vaccine Lab government will force us to take the shots, while others are convinced by conspiracy theories, believing the influenza to be manmade, created for profit by unscrupulous drug companies.

Newscasts remind us that flu shots are being produced, but there will not be enough initially for everyone. Those most at risk will receive the first shots. This approach, of course, makes the shots more desirable to those not deemed high risk and strikes a bit of fear into the hearts of everyone eagerly awaiting a shot.

Many fear the hurriedly produced novel H1N1 flu vaccine will be rushed to market without the usual precautions, especially since new laws have granted further protections to drug companies should their vaccines prove dangerous or fatal.

Those opposed to vaccines fear the government may mandate vaccinations for adults and children. In the wake of controversy regarding vaccine injury and links to autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurologically-based diseases, mandated vaccinations, especially shots with thermisal (mercury), are unacceptable to many. Though the drug companies removed thermisal from most of the childhood vaccines, flu shots have remained the exception.

Others have spread theories that novel H1N1 is a manmade virus, created by drug companies for profit, while those familiar with genetic re-assortment believe the origin of the disease to be an industrial pig farm in Mexico, where 950 hogs are raised in filthy conditions, which provide both the animals and the environment to breed disease and spread it through water contamination, flies and other insects.

If either the morbidity or the mortality rates rise sharply, our government may close schools and day care centers, limit or ban sports events and concerts as well as any other congregations, and recommend that businesses stagger working hours and encourage telecommunicating. Those with active infections will be asked to stay home for 10-14 days, their unaffected family members for 7 days. We will all be encouraged to wash our hands often and to get a shot–or two–or three. One is for seasonal flu, one or two will be offered for novel H1N1.

Your best defense is to get healthy and stay healthy. Don’t eat sugar; it depresses your immune system. If you do contract the flu, remember to rest and drink a lot of fluids. Try lemonade sweetened with stevia; it’s great hot or cold.

We don’t know if we have only seen the first wave of the year or if novel H1N1 will behave as the majority of influenza viruses in the past have behaved, circulating in a drifted form a year later with no discernable change in virility. Will we be hit with a second or third wave? Will its severity increase like the pandemic virus of 1918? No one knows.

So, once again, why the sense of panic? Some fear the disease, some fear the lack of vaccine, some fear the government will force us to take the shots, while others are convinced the influenza is manmade, created for profit by unscrupulous drug companies.

Newscasts remind us that flu shots are being produced, but there will not be enough initially for everyone. Those most at risk will receive the first shots. This approach, of course, makes the shots more desirable to those not deemed high risk and strikes a bit of fear into the hearts of everyone eagerly awaiting a shot.

Many fear the hurriedly produced novel H1N1 flu vaccine will be rushed to market without the usual precautions, especially since new laws have granted further protections to drug companies should their vaccines prove dangerous or fatal.

Only time will tell whether the Swine Flu hysteria was justified.