A pig at a farm in Oregon has been infected with bird flu, raising concerns about the virus’s potential threat to humans. This marks the first time bird flu has been detected in swine in the US. The farm was put under quarantine and all pigs were euthanised for testing purposes. While there is no concern about the safety of the nation’s pork supply, experts warn that pigs can serve as a stepping stone for the virus to become a bigger threat to humans.
Jennifer Nuzzo, a pandemic researcher, explains that pigs can play a role in making bird viruses better adapted to humans, as seen in the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic that had swine origins. Although genetic tests have not shown mutations indicating increased ability to spread to people, the risk to the public remains low for now.
While a different strain of bird flu has been reported in pigs outside the US without triggering a human pandemic, the current Type A H5N1 bird flu virus has been spreading among various animals in the US, increasing the chances of human exposure. Experts note that the recent pig infection in Oregon is noteworthy but does not change the threat level significantly at this time.
As of this year, nearly 40 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the US with mostly mild symptoms, suggesting human-to-human transmission is limited. However, experts emphasize the importance of monitoring the situation closely in case of wider pig infections and subsequent human infections in the future.
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