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Pork industry seeks answers to H5N1

The pork industry continues seeking answers to questions involving the H5N1 virus.

Dr. Lisa Becton with the Swine Health Information Center says the influenza strain remains a threat despite no infections in the U.S. commercial hog herd.

“What we’re doing though as an industry is really assessing what are the key questions that we still have, like how can it transmit through the mammary gland? And also, what does it really truly look like across all ages?”

Speaking to Brownfield during the World Pork Expo in Des Moines last week, she said SHIC is collaborating with the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research to develop a program addressing H5N1 in swine.

“Covering areas of clinical presentation, how can it transmit in the mammary gland both during farrowing but even before farrowing and through the farrowing process. We’re looking at cross protection from existing vaccines against H5.”

Becton says researchers are also looking at ways to ensure adequate diagnostics to identify H5N1 and potential changes to the strain.