Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

[Treyfish]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

The Center for Health Protection Site- Hong Kong is down today http://www.chp.gov.hk/ I check here everyday.I also have their links page in favorites and that now leads back to this page,didn't used to.Maybe we will get some news from here when they come back up.I haven't seen it down before. links page is here http://www.chp.gov.hk/linkse4db.html?lang=en&id=15 Wont work in chinese google either.

[vinny]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

im beginning to wonder if a pandemic strain did emerge in china,with the way they hid sars,if by the time they told us the truth about BF it would already be too late.

[MHSC]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Nothing on the news here, I'll check around and see what I can find out.

[fretti]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Nothing on the news here, I'll check around and see what I can find out.

Be careful, MHSC. Be very careful. Your safety comes first.

[hawkeye]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Agreed. Be very careful about gathering any info. We have no expecations...just keep us informed on what the daily "news" is saying.

[gsgs]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

maybe Taiwan has something ?

[deadandalive]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

im beginning to wonder if a pandemic strain did emerge in china,with the way they hid sars,if by the time they told us the truth about BF it would already be too late.

yes vinny,the first thing you would hear is the type of news on the indonesia thead
I'm thinking she's not a local villager selling chickens in the market, but perhaps a middle-class business-woman of some sort. Maybe this is why they're really wondering how she caught H5N1...? lets hope there is no connection.

[wdcare]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

From Dr. Niman's post from NY Times above:
Hong Kong officials expressed surprise today when they were told that the official Xinhua news agency mentioned a month ago that the mainland had begun nationwide testing of wheat gluten for melamine. Animal-feed dealers in northeastern China said late last month that the two main destinations for feed mixed with melamine had been the Yangtze delta region near Shanghai and the Pearl River delta region near Hong Kong.

I wonder if maybe the pigs are dying from melamine in the feed?

[wdcare]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=456016

China hit by pig deaths

08 May 2007

BEIJING - China ordered pork farmers on Tuesday to carry out mass vaccinations after a mysterious outbreak killed hundreds of pigs in the nation?s south.


The agriculture ministry said it had urged stepped-up vaccinations for swine fever, pig rash and swine pneumonia and called on animal medical factories to increase production of medicines.

The directive was issued after up to 300 pigs in Guangdong province died over the last 10 days from a mystery disease that saw the pigs stop eating, develop fevers and begin haemorrhaging, the New Express paper reported.


Local farm bureaus were not immediately available for comment.


Yang Weixin, head of the township where the outbreak happened, told the paper there were up to 10,000 head of swine raised there and denied reports that up to 80 percent of the area?s pigs had died.

"According to preliminary findings from local government and provincial experts a large-scale epidemic or an epidemic that can spread from animals to people has been ruled out," Yang said.


"At present the disease has been controlled."


The epidemic has largely hit pigs being raised by individual farmers while industrial pig farms in the region, where health and sanitation conditions are better, have so far not reported any unusual outbreaks, the paper said.


The disease has caused a panic in the local areas as residents stopped buying pork for fear of eating tainted meat, it said.


Officials said there was no chance that tainted meat or sick pigs could find their way to markets in Hong Kong, which borders Guangdong. Transport of live pigs from the affected area has been banned.


Sapa-AFP

[MHSC]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

No one here knows anything about pigs dying, until I mentioned it. It is not on any news channels that speak english. I haven't seen any pictures of pigs or even farm settings on the chinese news stations.

As for the melamine, it has been reported that someone was arrested I believe in Beijing for "allowing this to happen". There are American officials in China helping with the investigation. The tv here is reporting that melamine is a commonly used protein filler. I'll see if I can find something on that and post it.

[MHSC]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Melamine said to be commonly used in China

Updated Mon. Apr. 30 2007 8:12 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A chemical tied to pets suffering kidney failure is commonly added to feed in China, while Canadian researchers say they've pinpointed exactly why it can be harmful.


Wang Jianhui, manager of the Kaiyuan Protein Feed company in China's northern city of Shijiazhuang, downplayed the toxic effects of melamine.
"We've been running the melamine feed business for about 15 years and receiving positive responses from our customers," he told The Associated Press by phone.


"Using the proper quantity of melamine will not harm the animals. Our products are very safe, for sure."


AP reports the practice of using melamine may be widespread in China, but the chemical is banned in North America.


In March, more than 100 brands of pet food that contained melamine-tainted wheat gluten were recalled across Canada and the U.S. Ontario-based Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of wet pet food.


When melamine is added to feed, it makes the food appear as if it contains a higher amount of protein, although the nutritional value stays the same.

An unknown number of cats and other pets have suffered kidney failure because of food tainted with the chemical.


Researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario said melamine can have a dangerous effect when mixed with cyanuric acid, the other contaminant found in the imported wheat gluten.


The two chemicals react to form crystals that can block kidney function in animals. Researchers at Guelph said they were able to reproduce the same effect at the university's Animal Health Laboratory.


"When we did it in the laboratory ... it was instantaneous," John Melichercik, Director of Analytical Services for Laboratory Services told CTV.ca.


"What were two clear liquids, when were combined, actually go very murky and if you leave it for a little bit, these crystals settle out and you can pick them off and then analyze them."


China's government has said it will allow U.S. officials from the Food and Drug Administration to investigate melamine contamination.


There is no evidence that melamine is harmful to humans, although there is also no research on possible health effects when melamine is combined with other substances.


Ji Denghui, manager of China's Sanming Dinghui Chemical Trading Co., said he believes melamine is safe when used sparingly.


"As to whether melamine is toxic or not, I believe it won't do any harm if there is only very small amount," Ji told AP. "Otherwise, those companies could not do that."

With files from The Associated Press


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Treyfish]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Here is the promed report quoting Dr Nimans story above.She commends China on previous reporting of "pig high fever disease",but ignores the delay of reporting this outbreak of whatever it is.I don't think she knows what time it is.<snip> spokesman for the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department said that there were no signs of suspicious deaths among Hong
Kong's pigs, and referred questions about pigs in Guangdong to the food
department.

[byline: Keith Bradsher]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[The symptoms, as colorfully described by the media, might be inaccurate.
More likely, this information might be related to the so-called "pig high
fever disease" [PHFD], described in China since summer 2006 and
subsequently and commendably notified to the Office International des
Epizooties as an emerging, multifactorial condition. The mentioned disease
agents were classical swine fever [CSF], porcine reproductive and
respiratory syndrome [PRRS], and porcine circovirus [PCV-2]. In addition,
some samples were positive for Aujeszky's disease, _Streptococcus suis_,
pasteurellosis, and porcine contagious pleuropneumonia infection.

The current situation is in need of official clarification, since
hemorrhages, as described, might be indicative of other infectious pig
diseases (such as swine erysipelas). First hand information would be
helpful in preventing a public scare and possible disinformation. Definite
exclusion of H5N1 involvement is also anticipated. - Mod.AS] http://tinyurl.com/38567v

[vinny]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

im not sure how far Guangdong is from these outbreaks but there are reports apparently of,possible human flu illness.

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/health/2007/05/200705021203.shtml&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dboxun%26hl%3Den

[MHSC]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Can someone post the story, it is blocked for me.

[vinny]

Re: Mystery disease kills pigs in Southern China: press

Austrian a network April 28-30, the Guangdong College of Pharmacy 19 junior collective event with a fever, cough and headache symptoms. Yesterday, the etiology of these students were suffering from collective basic diagnosis of influenza, the Guangzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention have been to the hospital sampling. Guangzhou City Health Bureau, said that this year the city has been confirmed cases of influenza-like outbreak two, compared to 132 in the same period last year, the disease greatly reduced. 不过目前监测到流感有季节性增加的趋势，市民仍须做好预防。But the current influenza monitoring of the seasonal increase in the trend, people should take precautions.



　　Mild symptoms improved after treatment

　　It is understood that the Guangdong College of Pharmacy 19 students from April 28 onwards began to develop fever, coughing or throat tightness, and other cases of influenza-like symptoms, all of the symptoms less, after all the patients after treatment improved the condition or stability, no pneumonia, and other symptoms.

　　Guangzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director TAM said that from January to April this year. Guangzhou influenza monitoring data than the 2004-2006 average, the low level etiological monitoring is only in individual samples isolated influenza
Virus, which the city report cases of influenza-like outbreak 9, The schools are less than 20 small epidemic, after detecting only two had been confirmed as influenza epidemic, from the same period last year the 132 has declined markedly.

　　3-7月流感高发季节March-July influenza peak season

　　Nevertheless, from March to July in Guangzhou is still a high incidence of influenza season, the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Health to monitor, From February onwards
Hospital outpatient influenza-like cases increased slightly, to 4.4% in April. influenza epidemic is becoming the seasonal increase in the trend.

　　As many influenza outbreaks in schools collective units, the health bureau recently issued guidelines require schools to strengthen collective unit classroom ventilation, to ensure on a break time, avoid fatigue; schools should strengthen Chen Jian, if any "fever, accompanied by congestive throat, tonsil irritation, throat tightness, Films with congestive eyes "as the main clinical features of patients and suspected patients. promptly report to the local disease prevention and control agencies.In addition, students, teachers or employees suffering from respiratory diseases, early medical treatment necessary to stay at home to rest; patients to stay at home as far as possible, isolation and treatment to prevent transmission to others. Physicians or other responsible person to monitor the number of non-attendance, if found absent from the increase in the number should promptly asked for the reasons for non-attendance; if absent more than there were similar cases in a timely report to the local disease prevention and control center.

　　Prevention of influenza notes :

　　, washing hands frequently, hands contact with respiratory secretions (such as sneezing) should wash their hands immediately.

　　, sneezing or coughing, they should use a handkerchief or tissue Cover your mouth and nose.

　　Third, strengthening physical activity, a balanced diet, avoid fatigue.

　　, the ground drying blankets, ground air clothes, the sun and the ground ventilation windows.

　　, the high season for influenza, so as not to over-crowded, stuffy air of the place.

　　Six children and the elderly weak resistance groups should receive influenza vaccine. (博讯 boxun.com)(ABC boxun.com)



hope this helps mhsc