Lauren Cargill - Kids Get Swine Flu From Pigs At State Fairs

Summary: According to the CDC, pigs are state fairs are infecting kids with a new type of swine flu never before seen in humans. This flu first emerged at state fairs in Ohio and Michigan, infecting 18 people, 16 of them children, and seven of them under the age of five. 13 of these individuals said they had touched or petted the pigs, four said they had only walked through the pig barn, and one said they had indirect contact, but didn't give specifics. Though one person had to be hospitalized, all of the individuals recovered fully, and there has been no evidence of the disease passing from person to person. When the CDC looked at samples from all 18 people, they ended up finding two H3N2 viruses, meaning that they originally came from pigs, and 16 "reassortant" viruses, meaning that they had both human and pig DNA. The fact that some of the viruses had human DNA is a bit concerning because human DNA makes the virus more likely to pass from person to person. To prevent this virus, the CDC recommends proper hand hygiene when visiting petting zoos, fairs keeping a veterinarian on hand if any animals show signs of illness, and getting medical care if your child gets sick after a fair and doesn't get better.

Analysis: I think it's kind of scary to think that some of these people got sick after merely walking though the pig barn at the fair. I think that it's very important to be careful with these things especially since the Texas State Fair has such a large animal attraction. This relates to the swine flu outbreak in 2011 because it is a very similar occurrence, just on a larger scale and a different strand of virus.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/27/health/swine-flu-fairs/?iid=ob_homepage_deskrecommended_pool