Suitably Flip

Goodbye, Bird Flu. Hello, Pig Meningitis

Year of the pig, indeed.

According to Pig Progress ("Your portal on global pig production"), scientists have confirmed a domestic case of the potentially deadly disease "pig meningitis" in a human.

The unlucky pioneer is a healthy 59-year-old farmer in the state of New York, complaining of sudden fever and confusion. His pulse was racing, he breathed rapidly and he had meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

The hospital's preliminary tests revealed the presence of Streptococcus suis, a bacteria prevalent in pigs that can lead to meningitis.
...
Ruth Zadoks, research associate and veterinarian at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, provided the insights and a DNA-level analysis of S. suis strains found in both the farmer and pigs from his farm. ... "It could be that the disease is spreading," said Zadoks. "But also we may be just better at recognising it."

A 2005 outbreak of the disease resulted in 38 deaths in southeast Asia, but it's not the kind of disease the population at large needs to worry about.

"This should heighten awareness of the possibility of this illness for people with the occupation of dealing with swine," said Kara Willenburg, MD, of Bassett Hospital. "But it should not affect the lives of the general public."

So fret not, unless you're a farmer, a butcher, or a member of Congress.  Oh, zing!

Comments

Goodbye, Bird Flu. Hello, Pig Meningitis

Year of the pig, indeed.

According to Pig Progress ("Your portal on global pig production"), scientists have confirmed a domestic case of the potentially deadly disease "pig meningitis" in a human.

The unlucky pioneer is a healthy 59-year-old farmer in the state of New York, complaining of sudden fever and confusion. His pulse was racing, he breathed rapidly and he had meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

The hospital's preliminary tests revealed the presence of Streptococcus suis, a bacteria prevalent in pigs that can lead to meningitis.
...
Ruth Zadoks, research associate and veterinarian at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, provided the insights and a DNA-level analysis of S. suis strains found in both the farmer and pigs from his farm. ... "It could be that the disease is spreading," said Zadoks. "But also we may be just better at recognising it."

A 2005 outbreak of the disease resulted in 38 deaths in southeast Asia, but it's not the kind of disease the population at large needs to worry about.

"This should heighten awareness of the possibility of this illness for people with the occupation of dealing with swine," said Kara Willenburg, MD, of Bassett Hospital. "But it should not affect the lives of the general public."

So fret not, unless you're a farmer, a butcher, or a member of Congress.  Oh, zing!