INFLUENZA A:
Swine influenza appears to be a growing problem right across North America. Ten out of 24 western Canadian, 11 of 15 Quebec, and 5 of 14 Ontario veterinarians reported increases, more than the same period a year ago. The pandemic strain, pH1N1, has occurred in several barns with unvaccinated barn workers or visitors being the source of infection. The increase in cases occurs in conjunction with human H1N1 influenza in December and March.
The H3N2 subtype of swine influenza varies across Canada with Alberta and Saskatchewan having very similar strains but different from Manitoba (theirs is similar to Quebec’s) and Ontario. Autogenous vaccines have been effective but are only licensed for individual farms. There are efforts under way to be able to make regional vaccines available.
Although the effects of influenza vary a lot (some cases result in very mild nursery coughing), the veterinarian’s experiences have linked influenza with increases in Strep. suis meningitis, Glässer’s disease, postweaning diarrhea and other secondary infections. An extra effort to control swine influenza in barns with these bacterial diseases is warranted. More research on control of the flu and easier licensing of vaccines for the rapidly changing virus is expected
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Source: Manitoba Pork