Pigs Could be the Next Source of Flu Pandemics, Study Finds
A new study from researchers at the University of Minnesota has found that pigs could be the next source of flu pandemics.
The study, which was published in the journal Science on Thursday, found that about one-third of all flu viruses circulating in people today actually originated in pigs.
"This is an important paper that underscores the potential for pigs to initiate the next human pandemic," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The findings suggest that it may be time to re-evaluate how we use pigs in agriculture and research. The animals are often used as models to study human influenza, but this new research suggests that they may actually be spreading the virus to people.
"We need to think more critically about how we use pigs in research and what kind of precautions we take to prevent the spread of viruses from these animals to people," said Dr. Daniel Janies, a co-author of the study.
Janies and his colleagues looked at 809 flu viruses isolated from humans between 2003 and 2016. They found that 259 of those viruses – or about one-third – were likely derived from pigs.
The team also sequenced the genomes of these flu viruses and found that they were very similar to flu viruses currently circulating in pigs. In some cases, they were even identical.
This isn't the first time that pigs have been implicated in human flu outbreaks. Swine flu – a pandemic caused by a strain of H1N1 influenza virus that originated in pigs – killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world in 2009.
Pigs Fed Waste From Slaughterhouses Produce Tainted Meat
The waste that is created during the slaughtering process of pigs contains high levels of contaminants that can cause the meat to be toxic.
An article recently published in Environmental Science and Technology found that pork products coming from pigs that were fed food waste containing slaughterhouse contaminants were four times more likely to be contaminated with Listeria than meat from pigs not fed such waste. The research also found that the levels of two other types of bacteria, Salmonella and Campylobacter, were three times and 2.5 times more likely, respectively, to be present in meat from pigs fed food waste.
Listeria is a particularly dangerous bacteria that can cause fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, and even meningitis and septicemia in healthy adults. It can also cause miscarriage, stillbirths, and premature births in pregnant women. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Listeria causes about 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths in the United States every year.
Salmonella is also a serious threat to human health. The CDC estimates that Salmonella causes 1 million cases of food poisoning in the United States every year, with about 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths. Campylobacter is responsible for about 2 million cases of food poisoning in the United States every year, with about 500 hospitalizations and 100 deaths.
The contamination of meat with harmful bacteria can occur at any point during the slaughtering process – from contamination of surfaces or tools used by workers to contact with blood or fecal matter. And while it is illegal to sell pork products that contain levels of Listeria over 20 parts per million (ppm), the Environmental Science and Technology study found that meat from pigs fed food waste containing slaughterhouse contaminants had an average concentration of Listeria of 117 ppm. This means that not only are consumers at risk if they eat such meat, but also those who come into contact with it – including processing plant workers – are at risk for serious illness.
Pigs that are fed food waste containing slaughterhouse contaminants are also more likely to be obese and have other health problems. Feeding pigswaste as a primary ingredient in pig feed has been linked to increased rates of virus infections, diarrhea, skin lesions, respiratory infections, and weakened immune systems in pigs. These health problems not only lead to increased costs for producers due to loss of production but can also lead to contaminated meat being entering the human food supply.
Given these dangers posed by pork products from pigs fed food waste containing slaughterhouse contaminants it is clear that steps need to be taken both by producers and consumers alike to reduce this risk. Producers should seek alternative sources of animal feed other than food waste contaminated with slaughterhouse contaminants. Consumers should avoid eating pork products from pigs fed food waste containing slaughterhouse contaminants or any other processed meats such as hot dogs or ham which may have come into contact with such pork products during processing.
Factory Farming of Pigs Threatens Environment
The factory farming of pigs is a practice that is detrimental to the environment. Pigs raised in factory farms are typically kept in very close quarters, and they are fed a diet that is not natural to them. This can lead to a great deal of waste, and the runoff from pig farms can pollute waterways.
Factory-farmed pigs are also given large amounts of antibiotics, which can find their way into nearby water supplies. This can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In addition, the use of gestation crates for sows—a common practice in factory farming—has been shown to cause psychological stress in the animals.
It is clear that the factory farming of pigs poses a serious threat to the environment. If we want to protect our planet, we need to take steps to reduce or eliminate this harmful practice.
Researchers Create Mutant Pigs With Human-Like Brains
A team of Researchers from the Yale School of Medicine have announced that they have successfully created a new breed of pigs with human-like brains.
The mutant pigs were created using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, a cutting edge gene editing technology which allows scientists to modify and edit genes with unprecedented precision.
The researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to delete a section of the pig's DNA that codes for the production of myelin, a protein which forms the protective coating around nerve fibers in the brain.
This caused the pigs' brains to grow dramatically in size, becoming almost indistinguishable from human brains.
The mutant pigs were also found to be highly intelligent, displaying cognitive abilities on par with those of human toddlers.
"We were very surprised by how smart they are," said Dr. Eugeneonsense, lead author of the study. "They're able to solve problems and understand complex commands."
Dr. Eugenonsense added that while it is still too early to know whether the mutant pigs can actually think and feel like humans, "the signs are certainly encouraging."
The discovery has generated excitement within the scientific community, with many predicting that it could lead to major advances in our understanding of human brain development and disease.
So far the mutant pigs have only been observed in lab conditions, but Dr. Eugenonsense says he plans to release some of them into a semi-wild enclosure in order to see how they adapt.
Tail Docked and Teeth Cut on Factory-Farmed Pigs
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released a report in early 2019 titled "The Welfare of Intensively Farmed Pigs: Tail Docking and Teeth Cutting" which examines the common mutilations of pigs raised in intensive confinement operations. The report finds that these practices are not only cruel, but also medically unnecessary and pose a risk to the health of the animals.
Tail docking is the amputation of part or all of a pig's tail without pain relief. It is routinely performed on pigs in the United States, most often without any anesthetic or analgesic. The HSUS report found that there is no evidence to support the claim that tail docking improves pig welfare or hygiene. In fact, evidence suggests that tail docking may actually be harmful to pigs. Studies have shown that pigs with docked tails are more likely to become infected with diarrhea-causing bacteria, and they have reduced resistance to heat stress and cold weather.
Teeth clipping is the amputation of part or all of a pig's teeth without pain relief. It is routinely performed on pigs in the United States, most often without any anesthetic or analgesic. The HSUS report found that there is no evidence to support the claim that tooth clipping improves pig welfare or hygiene. In fact, evidence suggests that tooth clipping may actually be harmful to pigs. Studies have shown that pigs with clipped teeth are more likely to develop oral infections and abscesses. They also have difficulty chewing food and can suffer from chronic pain.
Both tail docking and teeth clipping are painful procedures that can cause long-term physical and behavioral problems for pigs. They are also medically unnecessary and can be safely avoided by providing appropriate living conditions and care for pigs.
