January 25, 2008

Biosecurity, the potent cure for Philippine swine flu dilemma

Last year, swine farmers in the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, were shaken from the numerous diseases that plagued their pigs. Countless abortions and high fever cases broke out in major hog provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Pangasinan. Concerns about the intensity of the diseases were heightened as the much present swine influenza in China and Vietnam which started since mid-2006 may have found its way into the country.

To clarify matters, Impextraco together with its Philippine affiliate, Nuevo Milenio gathered industry players on January 23 at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City to dispel any misconceptions on the disease's true nature. Dr Francois Madec, vice-director of the Veterinary Research Laboratory of the French Agency for Food Safety (AFFSA) and also a pig welfare expert for the European Union led the talks on swine influenza which is considered as one of the biggest challenges of the local hog industry today.

Swine influenza or swine flu should not be likened to swine influenza-like diseases as these also exhibit similar symptoms but with a totally different virus, explains Dr Madec. To determine the virus' character, a clear diagnostic and laboratory test should be done to avoid treatment maladministration that could aggravate the situation. According to Dr Madec, swine influenza virus or SIV are classified into three subtypes: H1N1, H3N2 and H1N2.  H1N1 are similar to the strain found 1918 pandemic Spanish flu and is still active in America and Asia.H3N2 is associated to the 1968 human pandemic where it is isolated in pigs and asymptomatic while H1N2 is found in European pigs and has several subtypes that rarely appear in pig population. "SIV has the ability to spread through air and contact between pigs and can be transmitted to humans but not always," says Dr Madec. "Trials with H5N1 or the bird flu virus has also been done for pigs where results also show that the pig is susceptible to the virus but there is no clinical disease and no pig-to-pig transmission is evident. However, epidemiosurveillance is absolutely needed in pigs."

The emergence of swine-flu like diseases such as Classical Swine Fever (CSF) and African Swine Fever (ASF) has often been associated with swine influenza. Though both are viral diseases which can have devastating economic impacts as it exhibit similar symptoms such as lesions, hemorrhage and cyanosis, Dr Madec stresses that "these diseases are not at all alike despite showing similar signs, thus, this should be addressed differently."

Though vaccination seemed to be the instant solution, Dr Madec notes that it is not always the answer. "Biosecurity should always be the first thing that farmers should bear in mind. It is the keyword as trade of infected pigs or contaminated semen or pig meat is where the spread of disease is at its highest. There were outbreaks in the past that I have not recommended vaccination because it just made matters worse because the virus is already present. What we should do is to ensure that safety during trade is being strictly observed." 

Moreover, Dr Madec emphasised that unity should be present among swine farmers especially if new outbreaks occur to readily address the situation.

The lecture also featured Dr Romeo Sanchez from the University of the Philippines- Los Baños who discussed the different cases of hog diseases occurred last year. Dr Sanchez made comparisons of the maladies that struck farms to shed light on what really transpired. In conclusion, Dr Sanchez said laboratory examinations are outwardly essential as all farms are potential targets of PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome). "Collaboration between farmers and veterinarians is also needed as diagnostics in this area is crucial."

Mathieu Cortyl of Impextraco Singapore also talked of mycotoxins and its profitability in swine production. In the light of high grain prices, removing mycotoxin should be the first agenda in preserving feeds. Mycotoxins, according to Cortyl, are toxics to animals and can have destructive financial impact. Cortyl therefore recommends the use of eliminators such as Elitox is to kill the menace before it wreaks havoc in animals. Mycotoxins are mutating thus the need to eliminate it immediately, he said.

The Manila seminar drew more than 100 attendees -- winding up the conference with a successful finish -- and had its second Philippine leg in the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City on January 25.