What People Who Raise Pigs Need To Know About Influenza (Flu) | CDC - ISS-G20 Laboratorium Repository

Introduction

As someone who raises pigs, whether for show (e.g., 4-H or Future Farmers of America [FFA]) or as part of a farming operation (i.e., commercial pork producer or swine farmer), you may have questions about flu in both pigs and people. This document addresses what is known about flu viruses in pigs and people and what people in contact with pigs can do to reduce the risk of getting sick or of getting their pigs sick.

Flu in Pigs and People

There are many causes of respiratory disease in pigs, including flu. Most of the flu viruses that spread in pigs are different from those that spread in people. When flu viruses that normally spread in pigs are found in a person, they are called “variant” flu virus infections.

There are three main flu viruses that spread in U.S. pigs: H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2. These viruses are genetically different from the H1N1 and H3N2 viruses that commonly spread in people. People may have little to no immune protection against those flu viruses that spread in pigs, and human flu vaccines do not protect against the flu viruses that spread in pigs.

Flu viruses that commonly infect pigs and pig herds can result in high rates of illness among pigs, but few deaths.

Signs of flu in pigs include:

• Depression (not moving, “sick” appearance)
• Loss of appetite (not eating)
• Fever
• Lying down
• Coughing (“barking”)
• Breathing trouble
• Discharge from the nose (runny nose) or eyes

Pigs also can be infected with flu viruses that usually spread in people and flu viruses that normally spread in birds. This cross-species spread and possible mixing of flu viruses in pigs can lead to new and very different flu viruses that might gain the ability to spread easily between people and cause a pandemic.

Entire content available on: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/people-raise-pigs-flu.htm