Bird Flu traces found in Pigs

Traces of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu have been found in pigs in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi and surrounding area.

Traces of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu have been found in pigs in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi and surrounding area.The head of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation in Vietnam says evidence has been gathered from nasal swabs taken from pigs in the Hanoi area.The World Health Organisation has warned that the H5N1 virus could kill millions across the globe if it combined with a human influenza virus to create a new highly contagious strain transmissible among humans. Experts say this situation could be exacerbated if pigs are found to carry H5N1, as they are an ideal mixing vessel for bird and human viruses. (Source: AFP, ABC Health News, Feb 2004)