Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

    ROME, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday that national authorities and farmers should carefully monitor pigs and investigate any possible occurrences of influenza-like symptoms in domestic animals.

    The Rome-based agency of the United Nations made the appeal after transmitting of the A/H1N1 virus between pigs and humans has been confirmed in Canada.

    "The human-to-animal transmission that occurred in Canada does not come as a surprise as influenza viruses are capable of transmitting from humans to animals," FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said.

    "The Canadian event should therefore not be a matter of panic, but it should remind us of the human-animal link in virus transmission on which we definitely need to keep an eye open," he added.

    Influenza viruses, whether in humans or among animals, are constantly evolving genetically along with changes in their ability to cause morbidity and mortality in humans or animals. Therefore the current A/H1N1 situation should be carefully monitored as many of the virus characteristics and developments are still unknown, Domenech said.

    Surveillance for porcine respiratory disease should be intensified and all cases of porcine respiratory syndrome are recommended to be immediately reported to veterinary authorities, the FAO recommended.

    The UN body also suggested governments inform any occurrence of outbreaks of the new A/H1N1 Influenza virus in pigs to international agencies concerned.

    Strict bio-security measures including restriction of movements of pigs, goods and people should be applied on all farms or holdings with swine showing signs of clinical respiratory illness until diagnosis of the illness have been made, the FAO said in a press release published on Monday.

    Where A/H1N1 influenza is confirmed, movement restrictions should be in force for seven days after the last animal has recovered, the agency said.

    Governments are required to provide full support in improving bio-security measures particularly to small and medium pig farmers, it emphasized.

    Persons who work directly with swine should be urged not to go to work if they have any signs of respiratory disease, fever or any influenza-like illness, while animal handlers and veterinarians should wear protective clothing to minimize the risk of being infected, it said.

    The FAO also stressed that there is absolutely no need to slaughter animals in view of preventing circulation of the A/H1N1 virus.

    The UN organization said the A/H1N1 virus cannot be transmitted to humans by pork or pork products, which will not be a source of infection under good hygienic standard.