Bacteriological disease alert (Swine)

State of Iowa | 09.18.02 | Dr. John Schiltz

[struwwelpeter]

From: "John Schiltz" John.Schiltz@idals.state.ia.us> 

Content-Length: 949

Colleagues-

I have been informed that the infectious agent Actinobacillus (Hemophilus) pleuropneumoniae (APP) may have been acquired by unauthorized individuals from a laboratory in the United States. This particular strain causes encephalitis and rapid mortality in pigs. The bacteria is not known to cause a threat to human health.

Producers and veterinarians should pay specific attention to swine populations and be alert to any unusual symptoms in pigs such as encephalitis, acute pneumonia, and sudden death. Any APP diagnosis that causes unusual clinical conditions, encephalitis, and sudden death must be reported to the State Veterinarian.

The endemic strain of APP causes outbreaks of respiratory disease in grower and finishing pigs. Clinical signs of the endemic strain of APP are dyspnea, fever, reduced appetite, and rapidly occurring death, with an elevated mortality rate. Cough and, in some cases, frothy and blood-stained nasal discharge can also be seen.

APP can be treated with injectable antibiotics. Vaccines are also available for specific serotypes for use as tools in prevention.

Most cases of infection occur by nose-to-nose contact after the introduction of infected carrier pigs. APP can be found in the tonsil, necrotic tissue, and nasal cavity of recovered carriers or sub-clinical cases. Some reports concerning indirect transmission via contaminated clothing and airborne transmission do exist, but the major mode of transmission of APP infection is by the introduction of a carrier pig.

Please notify my office at (515) 281-8615 if you have any consideration that you may be suspecting the new strain of APP.

Thank you for your help and assistance.

John J. Schiltz, D.V.M. State Veterinarian, Iowa

[struwwelpeter]

Highlights mine. Alert for all concerned pork producers and veterinarians.

[hispanarepublicana]

ping

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Related story?: Bacteria Stolen from Biomedical Facility (MSU Lab)

[WyldKard]

Wow..geeze..maybe the terrorists have gone so crazy, they are now waging war against pigs for daring to be non-halal?

(Sorry, I couldn't resist..)

[struwwelpeter]

Probably PETA-ALF terrorists in this case. And definitely the same bug.

[crypt2k]

I guess they figure before the invasion of America commences,
these animals must be eliminated. Call PETA.

[cake_crumb]

Hmmm...terrorist attack on pigs? Maybe that Kennedy guy found a way to make good on his threat to put all pig farmers out of business? What was the stuff DOING in a lab, anyway?

I wonder what it might do to a dog that kills a charging boar that's infected...no flames. That wasn't a joke.

[Mr. Mojo]

This particular strain causes encephalitis and rapid mortality in pigs

The question is, should we alert Jerrold Nadler, Ted Kennedy, and Michael Moore (among others) of this development?

[Mr. Mojo]

You beat me to it.

[The Energizer]

Here's a story from today's student newspaper at Michigan State Univ.:

Missing bacteria prompts police, FBI investigation
By ALISON BARKER
The State News

A trio of police squads are investigating the disappearance of pig-vaccine research materials that were allegedly stolen from a secured lab in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building last week.

The research materials included notebooks, computer disks and laboratory samples. They were discovered missing by a university employee between the evening of Sept. 12 and the morning of Sept. 13, officials said. MSU police, Michigan State police and the FBI were notified and brought in to investigate the alleged theft.

The missing lab sample is Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, a bacteria that causes pneumonia in young pigs. Using the bacteria, a vaccine is in development in an effort to better protect the pig industry.

MSU Extension veterinarian Barb Straw, who works exclusively with pigs, said people steal items like the pig bacteria for political or personal reasons.

“It’s nothing I would ever want to steal,” Straw said. “There’s no use for it.”

The direct contact or ingestion of the bacteria does not affect human health, Straw said.

The microscopic bacteria, usually kept in a labeled container, was most likely taken from a freezer maintained at minus 80 degrees or in an incubator so it would not spoil, Straw said.

“It’s like popsicles,” she said. “They just wouldn’t be sitting in a room. It’s not something you would pick up by accident.”

MSU police Chief Jim Dunlap said whenever federal research money is associated with a lab experiment, federal authorities are called in to investigate.

“It’s a dual loss” for MSU and the federal agency, Dunlap said.

An exact entry into the lab has not been determined, and there is no indication the theft was related to political activism, Dunlap said.

Investigations involving stolen research materials are “very unusual,” Dunlap said.

Other details of the case cannot be disclosed because the investigation remains open.

Wolfgang Bauer, physics and astronomy department chairman, works in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building and said he hasn’t had any security problems within his department.

But, he said he is always concerned with materials possibly getting stolen.

“The people who planned the key system have done a careful job,” Bauer said. “But you can’t prevent people from hiding in the bathrooms at night. If people have criminal intent, you can’t stop them.”

Bauer said he’s most concerned with the student-thesis projects getting stolen.

“If the research students have potentially worked on for years was stolen, it would affect them severely,” Bauer said.

MSU worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday to inform veterinarians and pork producers about the lab theft as a precaution.

[Eva]

I am afraid that I may have identified the reason that this bacteria was stolen. I was just reading that a Christian school in MO has a policy of accepting pigs in lieu of cash for tuition payment. The students are credited with cash equal to retail cost of the pigs, which are then slaughtered and served in the cafeteria.

PETA is waging war on this school policy. Could this be the reason that the pig bacteria was stolen?

[VOA]

bump

[cake_crumb]

"You beat me to it."

Bears repeating anyway :- )

[struwwelpeter]

My Merck's manual doesn't list any danger to canines. The dog has a lot more to worry about from tusks or stray bullets, IMO.

BTW: this organism is the single greatest cause of swine mortality in Canada. Anyone smell maple syrup around that lab?

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

“It’s like popsicles,” she said...It’s not something you would pick up by accident.”

That really doesn't make me feel better. I can recall quite a few times when one of the popsicles in our freezer have managed to accidently fall into our daughters' mouth...

[cake_crumb]

I can almost hear Saddam now:

"YOU IDIOT! WHEN I SAID 'STEAL SOMETHING TO MAKE A BIOWEAPON SO I CAN KILL ALL THOSE AMERICAN PIGS' I MEANT THE IMPERIALIST INFIDEL AMERICAN PIGS!"

Yeah, I know Saddammy is basically an athiest, but not all his people are.

[cake_crumb]

"My Merck's manual doesn't list any danger to canines. The dog has a lot more to worry about from tusks or stray bullets, IMO"

THAT'S a relief.

[Lion's Cub]

Probably PETA-ALF terrorists in this case. And definitely the same bug.

Probably.

What I find interesting about it from a muslim terrorism standpoint is that it involves pigs. As far as I know, muslims are forbidden to eat pork. So if you could develop a disease that would affect only pigs but be passed on to those who ate the meat, you'd have a targeted weapon. Maybe they're looking for some characteristic in it's genetic code that could be used in a designer bug.

I would think it would be hard for any muslim country to get research stock if they have no pig production. So maybe they have to steal it.

OTOH, I don't know if they'd waste research money on something that might be such a longshot.

[Cobra Scott]

Whoever it is, they should have to suffer watching their family tortured to death in front of them before they undergo the same fate. Don't mess with my BBQ ribs!

[kezekiel]