Ont. turkeys with H1N1 pose 'minimal' risk

Ontario has confirmed a swine flu infection in a turkey operation, but the province's chief medical officer of health says the turkeys were not raised for eating and do not pose a food safety risk.

The outbreak affected a breeder's flock of turkeys. Eggs from breeding stock are transported to other farms but the birds themselves are not eaten.

"I want to assure Ontarians that the risk to human health from this situation is minimal," Dr. Arlene King said Tuesday. 

The turkeys likely contracted the virus from people, said Dr. Deb Stark, Ontario's chief veterinarian.

"We have to do all we can to stop the transmission of viruses between people and animals," King said. "The risk is the potential changes to the virus against which people could have reduced or no immunity."

King said the producer, whose location was not made public, has quarantined the birds, and provincial officials will continue to monitor the situation.

Stark said influenza viruses like H1N1 circulate among birds, livestock and humans.

"This report is a good reminder to farmers to be even more conscientious than usual when it comes to protecting their flocks and ultimately the people who come in contact with them."

Only inspected, healthy animals enter the human food system in Ontario, Stark said.

No birds, eggs in food chain

King said the infected turkeys do not pose a risk to food safety. She said no birds or eggs from the infected farm have entered the food chain, though she stressed that people should cook poultry thoroughly.

The turkey outbreak serves as a "clarion call" for poultry and other livestock workers to get both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots, and to stay away from animals if they are sick, King said.

Tests at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's national laboratory in Winnipeg confirmed it is the pandemic H1N1 strain.

Other livestock outbreaks

There was no evidence of any changes in the virus, she noted. Scientists are watching closely for any signs that the H1N1 virus is mutating into a form that could be more or less dangerous.

Influenza researcher Dr. Ilaria Capua, head of the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health's reference laboratory for avian influenza, said questions remain, such as comparing the full genetic sequence of the virus to the pandemic H1N1 virus.

"Before we say that this virus can spill into turkeys or into birds, I would really make sure that it's the right virus. And that there's no possible concern about any human error or contamination and that all the internal genes have been sequenced," Capua said.

The turkey farm infection in Ontario appears to be the first in Canada and represents the second livestock infection in the country.

Last April, swine flu appeared in pigs on an Alberta farm and has since been found in other swine herds in the country.

In August, Chile confirmed cases of swine flu in turkeys as well.

At the time, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said the incidences of turkey infection in the South American country didn't pose an immediate threat to humans.

It said turkey meat could still be sold commercially following proper inspections. There was no widespread cull in Chile.