CDC Confirms Ties to Virus First Discovered in U.S. Pig Factories -- Crowded conditions on factory farms create breeding grounds for new viruses

International update - 3 May 2009

By Michael Greger, M.D.

May 1, 2009

Factory farming and long-distance live animal transport apparently led to the emergence of the ancestors of the current swine flu threat.

A preliminary analysis of the H1N1 swine flu virus isolated from human cases in California and Texas reveals that six of the eight viral gene segments arose from North American swine flu strains circulating since 1998, when a new strain was first identified on a factory farm in North Carolina.

This analysis, first released by Columbia University’s Center for Computation Biology and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,[1] has now been reportedly confirmed by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and virologist Ruben Donis, chief of the molecular virology and vaccines branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Robert Webster, the director of the U.S. Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization....


=============


More information:

GENERAL:

FACTBOX-How to fight flu spread
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L2498781.htm

--SCENARIOS-What the new swine flu might do
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29428347.htm

--FACTBOX-Measures in North, South America against flu
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30537627.htm


ASIA:

--Hong Kong hotel quarantine move stirs controversy
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG2279.htm


CANADA:

--H1N1 flu found in Canadian pig herd - officials
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02359362.htm


EUROPE OVERVIEW:

--FACTBOX-Measures against new flu in Europe
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1379998.htm


IRELAND:
--Official confirms first Irish case of H1N1 virus
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L2127800.htm


MEXICO:

--Mexico reacts angrily to China flu quarantine
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02360932.htm

--Mexico tells citizens not to travel to China
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02360932.htm

--Ecuador to restrict entry of passengers from Mexico
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30443666.htm


USA:

--U.S. confirms 160 cases of H1N1 flu - CDC
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02357191.htm


WHO:

--WHO labs confirm 658 new flu infections worldwide
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L3719776.htm

--WHO still believes flu pandemic is imminent
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L2710434.htm

Source: CDC Confirms Ties to Virus First Discovered in U.S. Pig Factories
Author: HSUS

Link: Health experts gauge flu outbreak
Link: WITNESS-The flu scoop that scared me