Swine influenza virus reassorted with Pandemic H1N1 virus isolated from pig
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201002/26/P201002260356.htm
01-Mar-2010 (16 years 3 months 7 days ago)The University of Hong Kong (HKU) had found in its regular influenza virus surveillance programme that one sample taken from a pig at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse on January 7 contained a virus which was essentially a swine influenza virus but had picked up a pandemic H1N1 gene by genetic reassortment. There is no cause for alarm for public health and pork remains safe for consumption. Government is closely monitoring developments and shall continue to keep the public informed.
This is the first time that reassortment of swine influenza virus with the pandemic H1N1 virus was found in the surveillance programme. Prof Malik Peiris, the HKU expert in charge of the surveillance programme, considered that the findings of reassortment between the pandemic H1N1 virus and swine influenza virus was not totally unexpected. These events were likely occurring worldwide and its detection in Hong Kong was purely the consequence of intensive surveillance.Further tests are being conducted by HKU to determine if there are any particularcharacteristics of this strain.
This is the first time that reassortment of swine influenza virus with the pandemic H1N1 virus was found in the surveillance programme. Prof Malik Peiris, the HKU expert in charge of the surveillance programme, considered that the findings of reassortment between the pandemic H1N1 virus and swine influenza virus was not totally unexpected. These events were likely occurring worldwide and its detection in Hong Kong was purely the consequence of intensive surveillance.Further tests are being conducted by HKU to determine if there are any particularcharacteristics of this strain.