Terry Etherton Blog on Biotechnology

A ProMED-mail post (May 28, 2009)

The following is [1] a statement of the research program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and [2] the outcome of a study of the cross-reactivity of serum samples from US pigs against the new swine origin 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (S/O H1N1). The results of this analysis indicate that pre-existing immunity induced by swine influenza viruses circulating in the US may not protect pigs against the new S/O H1N1 influenza virus presently circulating in people.

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Martin Enserink and Jocelyn Kaiser
Published in SCIENCE:  VOLUME 324:703-705,2009

If and when a pandemic of H1N1 swine flu hits, vaccines might be the world’s best hope for softening the blow. But major uncertainties cloud the prospects for vaccines against the new  strain. No pandemic vaccine yet exists, and it is unclear how much vaccine would have to be available, and by what time, to have any impact. Should manufacturers halt the production of seasonal influenza vaccine to focus on a pandemic version, and if so, when? And is there any way to ensure that people around the world have an equal chance to get the new vaccine? Read the rest of this entry »

From the World Health Organization

Assessing the Severity of an Influenza Pandemic

The major determinant of the severity of an influenza pandemic, as measured by the number of cases of severe illness and deaths it causes, is the inherent virulence of the virus. However, many other factors influence the overall severity of a pandemic’s impact. Read the rest of this entry »

Terry D. Etherton

A recent Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Media Release about the detection of A/H1N1 virus in pigs in Canada is presented below.  The release also was distributed by ProMED. Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Mikesell, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor
Department of Dairy and Animal Science

Introduction

In light of the H1N1 (formerly known as swine flu) virus outbreak, consumers should have an understanding of the influenza virus from a pork producer perspective, and the steps that US swine producers routinely utilize to keep pigs healthy. Read the rest of this entry »

William Henning
Emeritus Professor of Animal and Food Science
Penn State University

Dr. Henning had a letter posted in USA Today combating myths about beef and global warming.

Here is Dr. Henning’s letter. Read the rest of this entry »