H1N1 found at pig farms

RALEIGH -- Pigs from two North Carolina farms have tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus in a federal laboratory, though officials report all animals have recovered and likely contracted the virus from humans.

The pigs showed signs of mild illness and were tested in a U.S. Department of Agriculture lab in Ames, Iowa, said State Veterinarian David Marshall. He added that this case shows the state's monitoring system is working.

Herd owners said workers who had contact with the pigs showed flulike symptoms in the days before the animals' illness, said Tom Ray, director of livestock health at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Pigs at both farms must have caught the virus from them, he said.

Humans cannot get H1N1 from handling or consuming pork, according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We want to reassure the public that it is safe to eat pork from swine that have been infected previously and recovered from influenza viruses, including novel viruses," State Health Director Jeff Engel said.

North Carolina is the 10th state to identify the H1N1virus in animals.