In article ,
wrote:

Ingrid, you seem a little shrill lately, everything OK?


That's odd about "the way you're raising pigs in America today creates a
perfect environment for the generation of new flu pandemics"

This is the kind of misinformation produced by people with an "agenda".

Recombinant forms of influenza like "swine flu" are the results of human -
animal interaction of a very close sort. In order for this to happen both
must be able to be infected with the virus (like influenza) and the humans
and animals have to be in close contact at the time of the infection,
either sneezing in each others faces, or, since influenza is shed in the
saliva, nasal secretion or FECES the human can also by hand transfer the
virus to their own mouth (inhale), nose or eyes, all portals of entry.

In a well run big or factory pig farm (or chicken farm) the workers are
required to
change into and wear special "clean" suits complete with bootie covers,
masks,
gloves, hoods and even eye protection. The reason for this is to prevent
humans from
walking in and/or passing their bacteria and viruses and microbes to the
pigs, and,
after working they clean up before they leave so they dont track anything
out. The
cleanup of the feces and urine is done automatically (large amounts which can
really
foul the environment if not handled properly. Enforcement depends on state).
Feeding
antibiotics, BTW, has absolutely nothing to do with viruses. Hogs are housed
in
buildings which limit the entrance of "wild type" bacteria and viruses,
mostly by
preventing outside disease carrying animals from getting in to the areas so
they are
much more likely to NOT have disease and much more likely to be healthy
(stress
aside). A healthy pig will produce large litters, will put on weight and go
to market
faster. Everything is done to maximize big healthy pigs going to market. I am
sure if
classical or rock music encouraged growth, they would pipe this in to the
barns as
well. This is what is typically seen in the US.

In contrast the farms I worked on during the summers of my youth
(grandparents and friends) the pigs were out in a pen or field mixing it up
with disease carrying wild life. I didnt have much to do with pigs cause I
was told to STAY OUT OF THE PIG PENS as they might go after me (pigs eat
flesh with relish, BTW). These are not cute little pet pigs. And there is
a much higher chance of these pigs carrying diseases that can be
transmitted to humans as well.

And then there are the pig factories that have gone to Mexico do so to
AVOID the environmental requirements and are flushing, I am sure, the urine
and feces right out the "back door". They may have lax enforcement of
sanitation within the farms, they certainly have more diseased wild animals
(and biting insects to carry disease) in the area and health standards for
the workers may be nonexistent along with "time off for being ill". Local
labor is cheap and I am sure they make no effort to instruct their workers
in health standards, etc.


INgrid
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A Growing Link between MRSA
Infections and Pigs
http://www.biojobblog.com/2009/03/ar...methicillin-re
sistant-staphylococcus-aureus-a-growing-link-between-mrsa-infections-and-
pigs/

SUPERBUGS
The new generation of resistant infections is almost impossible to treat.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2..._groopman?curr
entPage=all
-----

And then, this one which has elements for conspiracy theorists
everywhere. A tedious but satisfying read.

The A H1N1 Pandemic: Pig to Human Transmission of the Swine Flu?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.p...t=va&aid=13622

(excerpt)
Scientific Evidence of Pig to Human Transmission

A recent authoritative study by the John Hopkins School of Public Health
on Industrial Farm Animal Production (IFAP) refutes the statements of
the WHO. It confirms that IFAP hog farms are not only the source of
contamination of surrounding groundwater but also of the spread of novel
viruses including swine flu (See Pew Commission on Industrial Farm
Animal Production, Pew Foundation and Bloomberg and John Hopkins School
of Public Health, Putting Meat on the Table Industrial Farm Animal
Production in Americas, see also Washington Post, May 9 2009).
These viruses can be transmitted from pigs to humans and then "from
person to person in a community setting and well beyond." (Ibid) The
transmission can also occur in the food chain. The virus contaminates
the meat which is then consumed:
"An infectious agent that originates at an IFAP facility may persist
through meat processing and contaminate consumer food animal products,
resulting in a serious disease outbreak far from the ifap facility"
(See Putting Meat on the Table Industrial Farm Animal Production in
Americas, p. 11.)
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En2TzBE0lp4

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050688.html