Japanese Encephalitis Virus Detected in Australia's Feral Pig Herd
Australian health authorities have detected Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in feral hogs in the Northern Territory, the Australian Associated Press reports.
Although the virus is spread by mosquitoes and can infect animals and humans, experts assure consumers that it can't be spread by eating meat. It also can't be spread from person to person.
Heavy rains on the east coast of Australia have been cited as the reason for increased risk of the virus's spread.
"With so much water everywhere, we're seeing outbreaks of large mosquito swarms," Australian Pork chief executive Margo Andre told ABC Rural News.
Pigs with the infection don't transmit the infection to other animals but may infect mosquitoes if bitten while they still have the virus in their blood, the article notes. Other livestock such as horses, cattle, sheep and goats are dead-end carriers and cannot transmit the disease back to mosquitoes. The virus is often spread by migratory water birds and through the movement of infected mosquitoes, over long distances due to wind dispersal.
The concern with JEV is that it has been detected in more than 50 pig farms so far. Pigs act as sentinels. Typically, mosquitoes bite infected pigs and then inject the virus into humans.
It is estimated that Australia has up to 24 million feral pigs.
Hunters are urged to look out for warning signs of JEV in feral swine. Campbell Costello of Outback and Airborne Veterinary Services told ABC Rural that the symptoms of JEV in feral hogs could be drastic. For example, a hunter might find a litter of dead piglets and they're all dead for no real reason, Costello explained. It doesn't look like as trauma as much as it looks like they passed.
As a result, hunters may notice fewer weanling pigs running around and mostly observe adult pigs.
Read more about JEV in Australia on PorkBusiness.com:
Mosquito-Borne Virus "Is a Nightmare" For Australian Pig Farmers
Why U.S. Pork Producers Need to Pay Attention to Australia Right Now
Mosquito-Borne Virus Discovered on Australian Pig Farms
SHIC Adds to Preparedness With Updated PTV and JEV Fact Sheets
Japanese Encephalitis Virus Could Happen in U.S. Swine Herds
