Australia Reporting Novel H1N1 in Pigs

August 5, 2009 — 

Animal health officials in Australia have confirmed the diagnosis of the novel H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza Virus in a pig herd in New South Wales.

Although Australian officials quarantined the infected herd to minimize the risk of further spread, they were quick to note that they expect the pigs to fully recover and the virus poses no threat to the safety of pork.

This constitutes the third country in which pigs have become infected with the novel virus. Prior isolated cases have been reported in Alberta and Quebec provinces of Canada and Buenos Aires province in Argentina. In all cases the herds are believed to have been infected as a result of human-to-pig transmission.