Bird flu has been detected in a pig on a farm in Oregon, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday. It is the first case of the H5N1 virus to be detected in swine in the United States.
Agriculture officials stressed there is no concern about the safety of the nation’s pork supply because the swine was not intended for the commercial food supply.
The infected pig was part of a backyard farming operation that had a mix of livestock and poultry, including five pigs, one of which was infected with H5N1. The pig did not show any outward signs of illness but was tested because other animals on the property had tested positive for the presence of H5N1.
All five pigs were euthanized and were tested for the virus. Results for two of the pigs was negative and are pending for the others.
The livestock and poultry on the farm shared water and shelter, the USDA said. All the animals on the farm, including sheep and goats, are in quarantine and under surveillance.
H5N1 has been detected in dairy cows in 14 states, including California, Colorado, Michigan, Texas and Iowa. Since April, when H5 bird flu was first detected in dairy cows, 36 people have become infected — 15 from exposure to H5N1 in poultry, 20 from exposure to sick or infected dairy cows and one for whom the cause could not be determined, according to the Centers for Disease Control.