Hong Kong's quarantine authorities announced on May 18 two pig samples taken in a flu virus test were positive for H1N1, but no significant genetic re-assortment of viruses was found.
The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said the result came from a regular influenza virus surveillance in pigs conducted by the University of Hong Kong from February to April.
A CFS spokesman said, given the wide transmission of the pandemic H1N1 virus in humans, detection of the virus in pigs would not be a surprise. It was expected positive findings might appear from time to time in the surveillance program in the future. |