Canada to stop quarantining swine with AH1N1

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced it will no longer quarantine swine herds when the AH1N1 virus is detected.

Affected animals will be managed using the same veterinary management and biosecurity practices employed for other swine flu viruses. This includes limiting opportunities for virus to spread to susceptible animals. Canada's slaughter system contains multiple inspection points to ensure that only healthy animals enter the food supply, the CFIA said.

All herds in which the virus is detected will be monitored to verify that infected animals recover. In addition, surveillance for the presence of AH1N1 in swine will continue, to detect any changes in how the virus affects swine and to identify any changes in the structure of the virus.

The agency said the approach is consistent with the recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and is based on research and observations made since the virus was first detected in swine, which indicate:

• There is no food safety risk associated with the virus;
   
• There is no evidence at this time that animals are playing a significant role in the spread of the virus in the general human population; and,

The virus does not behave any differently in pigs from other flu viruses commonly detected in swine herds.