"Swine flu" is not an animal disease

Source: Sebastian Kaulitzki, Fotolia.com

The situation regarding "pandemic influenza A H1N1" is not comparable with that of Avian Influenza, or "bird flu" as it is commonly known. Avian Influenza, triggered by the H5N1 pathogen, is an animal disease. The "pandemic influenza A H1N1" is, on the contrary, a human infection which - without contact with pigs - can be passed from person to person, for example via sneezing, coughing, or shaking hands. It remains the case that there is no risk of infection from pork and pork products.

The virus is merely similar to H1N1 viruses that occur in pigs. It is unclear what organism the virus became pathogenic and infectious to humans in. The few cases of "pandemic influenza A H1N1" among pigs that have come to global attention are assumed to have been caused by infection from the people looking after the pigs.

Hygiene measures should also be taken when in contact with receptive animals

The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection would like to draw attention in this regard to the fact that the general hygiene provisions aimed at preventing infections between people should also be applied when there is contact between people and receptive animals.

It is a well-known fact that pigs are prone to infection with influenza viruses and to illness resulting from the infection. The first case of "pandemic influenza A H1N1" in a domestic pig was confirmed at the beginning of December 2009 by the Rhineland-Palatinate public control authority. Everyone who has intensive contact with pigs should therefore take corresponding precautions. This applies not only in the current situation, but whenever people notice they have symptoms of viral flu. In order to prevent the virus spreading to other holdings, the affected holding in Rhineland-Palatinate was sealed off for a short period.

The animals become just as ill as people; they have temperatures, do not eat, and become apathetic. To prevent this, it is often enough to just take simple hygiene measures such as washing one's hands or coughing into a handkerchief.

Further information

For further recommendations regarding the "pandemic influenza A H1N1" and a number of other subjects, please go to the Robert Koch Institute’s "Wir gegen Viren" site and the Federal Ministry of Health's information portal at www.neuegrippe.bund.de.