The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed Wednesday that H5N1 avian influenza was detected in a pig on an Oregon farm, the first known case of the virus in pigs in the United States.
Although officials stressed that the risk to the nation’s pork supply and public health remains minimal, the finding has raised concerns among experts because of the potential for pigs to harbor mixed infections that could facilitate exchange of viral genes, creating a strain that is more dangerous and transmissible to humans.
Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and an adviser to the World Health Organization, noted that detecting the virus on a small farm makes it less of a concern than if it had emerged on a larger commercial farm. He warned, however, that if the virus began to spread between pigs, it could cause more serious concerns.
The Oregon farm is currently under quarantine and all poultry and pigs on site have been slaughtered to prevent potential spread. Additional testing of the two remaining pigs is underway, according to the USDA. Other farm animals, such as sheep and goats, are under close surveillance as a precaution.
Experts pointed out that the farm’s setup, where pigs and poultry shared resources like water, shelter and equipment, likely facilitated the transmission of H5N1, a pattern seen in other cases of transmission of H5N1. animal to animal.
Marie Culhane, a professor at the University of Minnesota, stressed that this detection serves as a warning to pig farmers to remain vigilant for other infections, emphasizing the need to prepare because pigs are particularly prone to influenza virus.
Meanwhile, lean pork futures saw a slowdown on the Chicago Commodity Exchange after the USDA confirmed the H5N1 case. Although the USDA clarified that Oregon hogs were not intended for commercial food production, the detection nonetheless impacted market sentiment.
The H5N1 virus poses a persistent threat globally, with 36 human cases identified this year alone, primarily in farmworkers exposed to infected animals. Since the outbreak began in 2022, it has led to the slaughter of more than 100 million poultry in the United States.
(Contributed by Reuters)
