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Is "adopting a vegetarian diet", the best solution for swine flu, bird flu and similar food borne diseases?
In Egypt, the government ordered the slaughtering of all 300,000 pigs within the country as a precautionary measure against swine flu.
answers (4)
According to the CDC, swine flu and the current swine-bird-human mosaic virus are not spread by eating pork. And WHO also says that bird flu can't be spread by eating poultry.
I'm assuming that it's also not spread by cannibalism.
I'm assuming that it's also not spread by cannibalism.
source(s):
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm
http://avianflu.aed.org/docs/consumption%20fact%20sheet%20back%20ground%20c...
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm
http://avianflu.aed.org/docs/consumption%20fact%20sheet%20back%20ground%20c...
Voted as best: xds, dcanswerer
Only if you want to risk lowering your immune system for something that won't protect you from swine and bird flu considering THEY ARE NOT FOOD BORNE DISEASES.
Eating poultry or pork has absolutely NO EFFECT on whether or not you'll catch those strains of INFLUENZA. Unless someone infected sneezes or licks your food before you eat it.
It doesn't just have "flu like symptoms." It is the FLU. Just a different strain of the virus.
It's people getting the facts crossed like this that causes a panic and makes a bigger deal out of something when it doesn't need to be.
Eating poultry or pork has absolutely NO EFFECT on whether or not you'll catch those strains of INFLUENZA. Unless someone infected sneezes or licks your food before you eat it.
It doesn't just have "flu like symptoms." It is the FLU. Just a different strain of the virus.
It's people getting the facts crossed like this that causes a panic and makes a bigger deal out of something when it doesn't need to be.
voted helpful: srgothard, hillo, nativenerd
Bird flu is not "FOOD BORNE DISEASE", come on!
Bird flu facts:
• Genetic studies showed the virus jumped directly from birds to humans, and caused severe illness with high mortality.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/birdflu.facts/
Then why Australians gave a statement "Australian pigs free from swine flu virus and pork safe to eat"
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=48937
Why "U.S Hog Prices Continue to Slip Amid Swine Flu Outbreak"
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124093838288663757.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Why Egypt began slaughtering the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
Swine flu normally spreads from pig to pig. Occasionally it will spread from pig to human. "This particular version has mutated so that it's able to transmit from person to person," says James Scott, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and an expert in the airborne movement of germs.
http://www.canada.com/Health/echo+1918+pandemic/1541930/story.html
Bird flu facts:
• Genetic studies showed the virus jumped directly from birds to humans, and caused severe illness with high mortality.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/birdflu.facts/
Then why Australians gave a statement "Australian pigs free from swine flu virus and pork safe to eat"
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=48937
Why "U.S Hog Prices Continue to Slip Amid Swine Flu Outbreak"
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124093838288663757.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Why Egypt began slaughtering the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
Swine flu normally spreads from pig to pig. Occasionally it will spread from pig to human. "This particular version has mutated so that it's able to transmit from person to person," says James Scott, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and an expert in the airborne movement of germs.
http://www.canada.com/Health/echo+1918+pandemic/1541930/story.html
You don't catch it from eating pork!
It's a strain of FLU. So you can catch from being around SICK PEOPLE and SICK PIGS.
Avoiding pork won't make you any safer since like any influenza virus it can be air bourne.
That's why they're selling masks to wear to protect people from getting sick. You don't see them pulling pork off the markets to protect people EXCEPT WHERE THEY'RE BEING STUPID.
The reasons you see all the "safe to eat" notices is because people are panicing about pork. So that the places with healthy pigs won't have a drop in the market. These farmers losing money can effect the economy, it doesn't need to take anymore hits. Spreading misinformation about the nature of the VIRUS makes it WORSE. Stop comparing the swine flu and the bird flu to a food borne illness BECAUSE IT'S WRONG! You don't get the bird flu by eating birds. You get it by being around sick birds or people with that strain of the virus.
Bottom line: You should be scared by the guy sneezing, with a fever, NOT by a slice of bacon.
Even in your precious linked articles and your list of "facts," never state that the virus is food borne.
It's a strain of FLU. So you can catch from being around SICK PEOPLE and SICK PIGS.
Avoiding pork won't make you any safer since like any influenza virus it can be air bourne.
That's why they're selling masks to wear to protect people from getting sick. You don't see them pulling pork off the markets to protect people EXCEPT WHERE THEY'RE BEING STUPID.
The reasons you see all the "safe to eat" notices is because people are panicing about pork. So that the places with healthy pigs won't have a drop in the market. These farmers losing money can effect the economy, it doesn't need to take anymore hits. Spreading misinformation about the nature of the VIRUS makes it WORSE. Stop comparing the swine flu and the bird flu to a food borne illness BECAUSE IT'S WRONG! You don't get the bird flu by eating birds. You get it by being around sick birds or people with that strain of the virus.
Bottom line: You should be scared by the guy sneezing, with a fever, NOT by a slice of bacon.
Even in your precious linked articles and your list of "facts," never state that the virus is food borne.
It becomes pandemic, when it's able to transmit from person to person.
But the Swine flu normally spreads from pig to pig. Occasionally it will spread from pig to human.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/birdflu.facts/
But the Swine flu normally spreads from pig to pig. Occasionally it will spread from pig to human.
• Hong Kong's entire poultry population, estimated at around 1.5 million birds, was destroyed within three days. This is thought to have averted a pandemic.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/birdflu.facts/
I'm a vegetarian, but @jellylala is perfectly correct.
Bird flu jumped to people somewhere in East Asia where poor people live cheek-by-jowl with their chickens and ducks. They didn't get it from eating them, but from living in close proximity. Even then the jump is a rare event, but the problem is subsequent human-to-human transmission once the jump has been made.
The reason why people are taking the trouble to say things like "Australian pigs are safe to eat" is because naturally people are worried, and their farming industries could suffer as a result of unfounded panics.
I don't know why Egypt thought slaughtering pigs was a good idea, but no Western country and none of the international bodies like WHO are suggesting there is any reason to do that or to avoid eating pork.
Bearing in mind that Egypt is a Muslim country, I'm quite surprised they even have pigs there. If they do, there may have been cultural or political factors at play in that some people may have wanted to get rid of them anyway.
There are many good reasons to be vegetarian, but avoiding swine flu is not one of them.
Bird flu jumped to people somewhere in East Asia where poor people live cheek-by-jowl with their chickens and ducks. They didn't get it from eating them, but from living in close proximity. Even then the jump is a rare event, but the problem is subsequent human-to-human transmission once the jump has been made.
The reason why people are taking the trouble to say things like "Australian pigs are safe to eat" is because naturally people are worried, and their farming industries could suffer as a result of unfounded panics.
I don't know why Egypt thought slaughtering pigs was a good idea, but no Western country and none of the international bodies like WHO are suggesting there is any reason to do that or to avoid eating pork.
Bearing in mind that Egypt is a Muslim country, I'm quite surprised they even have pigs there. If they do, there may have been cultural or political factors at play in that some people may have wanted to get rid of them anyway.
There are many good reasons to be vegetarian, but avoiding swine flu is not one of them.
@pats : I think you are misunderstanding how these viruses infect their hosts...
Swine flu is a respiratory disease. The virus is born, bred and spread through respiratory secretions (spit, mucus, etc). Pigs spread it back and forth amongst themselves in the same way humans spread Influenza A (the common flu bug) by sneezing, coughing and licking each other...passing the infected sputum back and forth. Somewhere along the way, a human farmer(s) got caught with some infected sputum, and it spread to humans. Joe-schmoe-farmer then spread it to the human population the same way you spread any cold...by coughing, sneezing, licking other people while contagious. This is how it still spreads at this time...borne on tiny water droplets (spit) expelled when you cough or sneeze. IT IS NOT SPREAD VIA THE MEAT. And, another tid-bit on the subject of "infected meat". Viruses are just small protein strands. They have very little protection against the elements and are easily denatured (destroyed) by heat. Even if an infected person licks your pork chops, as long as you cook it, you'll be fine. The high temperatures of cooking will destroy the virus.
Bird flu is actually a little more interesting. It is spread via the oral-fecal route. In other words, ingesting bird-poo is what gets you infected. Now, you don't have to lick large amounts off of a statue...small, dried flakes which have become airborne can be inhaled to infect you. But again, the disease is not borne in the meat...so don't let any chickens poo on your nuggets and your ok.
So, if you want to be absolutely safe from being infected, and still fear swine/bird meat...cook it before eating it. If you eat it raw, you will get sick from salmonella poisoning long before there is any danger of being infected by swine/bird flu.
And, just to make it clear...here are quotes from the articles you cited to prove it is food-borne...
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=48937
"The WHO says "swine influenza has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork, or other products derived from pigs and the swine influenza virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 160F/70C, corresponding to the general guidance for the preparation of pork and other meat."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
"Experts suspect swine flu, a strange new mix of pig, bird and human flu virus, originated with pigs then jumped to humans and is now spreading through human-to-human contact. Health authorities have said you cannot contract the flu by eating pork."
This very well could have been patient 0 btw...
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tQ74IfNZmZQ/R9C-HytY1UI/AAAAAAAAEYY/kwiwKrecdFQ/s400/kiss-pig.jpg
Swine flu is a respiratory disease. The virus is born, bred and spread through respiratory secretions (spit, mucus, etc). Pigs spread it back and forth amongst themselves in the same way humans spread Influenza A (the common flu bug) by sneezing, coughing and licking each other...passing the infected sputum back and forth. Somewhere along the way, a human farmer(s) got caught with some infected sputum, and it spread to humans. Joe-schmoe-farmer then spread it to the human population the same way you spread any cold...by coughing, sneezing, licking other people while contagious. This is how it still spreads at this time...borne on tiny water droplets (spit) expelled when you cough or sneeze. IT IS NOT SPREAD VIA THE MEAT. And, another tid-bit on the subject of "infected meat". Viruses are just small protein strands. They have very little protection against the elements and are easily denatured (destroyed) by heat. Even if an infected person licks your pork chops, as long as you cook it, you'll be fine. The high temperatures of cooking will destroy the virus.
Bird flu is actually a little more interesting. It is spread via the oral-fecal route. In other words, ingesting bird-poo is what gets you infected. Now, you don't have to lick large amounts off of a statue...small, dried flakes which have become airborne can be inhaled to infect you. But again, the disease is not borne in the meat...so don't let any chickens poo on your nuggets and your ok.
So, if you want to be absolutely safe from being infected, and still fear swine/bird meat...cook it before eating it. If you eat it raw, you will get sick from salmonella poisoning long before there is any danger of being infected by swine/bird flu.
And, just to make it clear...here are quotes from the articles you cited to prove it is food-borne...
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=48937
"The WHO says "swine influenza has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork, or other products derived from pigs and the swine influenza virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 160F/70C, corresponding to the general guidance for the preparation of pork and other meat."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
"Experts suspect swine flu, a strange new mix of pig, bird and human flu virus, originated with pigs then jumped to humans and is now spreading through human-to-human contact. Health authorities have said you cannot contract the flu by eating pork."
This very well could have been patient 0 btw...
Thanks, nativenerd! Now it is clear.
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm
@pats Yes, although the strain that is currently causing such a commotion is actually a combination of swine/bird/human flu's (this happens with viruses sometimes...multiple types of viruses invade a cell, and when the protein stew is hatching out new baby viruslings inside the cell, they combine together, mutating into a new form). So, this new form is actually just as contagious in the human population as your normal flu...and spreads the same way...
A similar outbreak happened in the US back in the 1970s...what's funny about that, was that there was only I think 1 death from the flu bug...but it sent a panic through the nation. President Ford initiated a nationwide vacination program so it would not return...immunopathological reactions killed around 30 people in the end...often times our panic, and shoot from the hip responses are FAR more deadly than an outbreak. Take it slow, get the fact, and reacting logically is the best thing we can do...
A similar outbreak happened in the US back in the 1970s...what's funny about that, was that there was only I think 1 death from the flu bug...but it sent a panic through the nation. President Ford initiated a nationwide vacination program so it would not return...immunopathological reactions killed around 30 people in the end...often times our panic, and shoot from the hip responses are FAR more deadly than an outbreak. Take it slow, get the fact, and reacting logically is the best thing we can do...
Just some more info on what's happening in Egypt:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
-- Quote --
"It is unfortunate," the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said of Egypt's decision. "The crisis today is in transmission from human to human. It has nothing to do with pigs," he told The Associated Press.
...
The farmers asked for an official government decision to set a price for each pig slaughtered.
Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza told reporters that farmers would be allowed to sell the pork meat so there would be no need for compensation.
-- /Quote --
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jc_pijXYi6E50wDepameI2ZTf9iAD97S7UPG2
-- Quote --
"It is unfortunate," the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said of Egypt's decision. "The crisis today is in transmission from human to human. It has nothing to do with pigs," he told The Associated Press.
...
The farmers asked for an official government decision to set a price for each pig slaughtered.
Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza told reporters that farmers would be allowed to sell the pork meat so there would be no need for compensation.
-- /Quote --
Voted as best: bbrookin
Oops, thought I was adding a comment not an answer.
The short answer is no. Remember when spinach and lettuce were recalled because they were contaminated with salmonella? The swine flu could just as easily be spread on vegetables as it could meat. Likewise, proper cooking of vegetables and meat would kill the virus.
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