Analysis of The Flue Factories Article by Helen Branswell - Essay Example

Flue Factories The “Flue Factories” written by Helen Branswell focuses on the wretched state of the surveillance system regarding viruses related with pigs in USA. She has also referred of other countries while highlighting the same. The pig induced pandemic virus has been a major headache for USA health sector. The 2009 Influenza Pandemic was a lucky escape than a planned way out. No doubt such pandemic will be back again as virus responsible for this undergoes constant mutation to out run our immune system. Furthermore the knowledge of the scientists regarding this specific virus that evolves from pig is little. Clearly the response time for action against the first detection of a virus infection and out break of a pandemic needs to be minimised through the invention of suitable vaccine. The major hindrance to such invention is the lack of adequate vigilance system to detect any new virus among pigs. Ironically such monitoring system is no where near the horizon considering the fact that the pork producers think it will bring negative business shock. Though in recent times the government has created an ideal data gathering process without disturbing the livelihood of the producers, yet the compromise made that way might have catastrophic effect on human health as experts opined. Unlike foot-and-mouth disease, swine influenza is considered less hazardous by the producers that will not affect the industry at commercial level. This is mostly responsible that influenza virus does not get adequate attention even after mutation perhaps enabled them to directly effect the human population. Scientific efforts after 2009 incident though lacks several important clues yet emphasize on vigilance as an immediate step. Genetically the swine flu virus is a close relative of influenza that once caused Spanish flu pandemic and claimed more than 50 million lives. USA is highly exposed to the risk of pandemic generating from this virus as it is the second largest pork producer and hence pigs are harvested in millions at commercial level. The situation becomes grimmer considering the erratic rate of evolution in influenza viruses in pigs in North America. The proof of evolution in these viruses can be found through the spotting of H3N2 virus in 1998 when herds from states of Minnesota, Iowa and Texas were detected with the same. After that many other variations like other versions of H1N1, H1N2, H3N1 and H2N3 have been found. Adding to the agony antibody to H2 family of viruses are absent in present breed of pigs and scientists considers that H2 is will create future maladies. The concern on this new problem got diverted once the dangerous bird flue that had done havoc on human and poultry life struck the world and got the majority of scientists busy with their research on that. Ironically the country namely USA that pushed other countries to reveal exact data on H5N1 outbreaks carried on with its data scarcity regarding the surveillance data on pigs. According to Guan and Peiris the present situation regarding swine influenza is far from being consoling. The data is gathered by the pork producers and pig farmers but seldom shared with the researchers and government officials. The labs look after the interest of the producers and farmers rather than any one else. Often a new type of virus if found makes its way to scientific literature but no less than years after its first detection and by the time the concerned group of pigs might have made their way to the slaughter house. This makes further monitoring or testing impossible. Even after successive assurance from the researchers to the producers to keep their identity anonymous little response has been received. However whatever little help came from the producers would have otherwise been not present. Researchers like Cox and Webby all have experienced the same. In recent times online database like GenBank and GISAID are storing genetic sequence of viruses that belong in pigs but they are far less than what is required to maintain a viable diversified data base of presently circulating viruses. Cox has blamed this as the route of all concerns for public health regarding its exposure to swine flue virus. He has also valued the producer’s side but still feels that a more cooperative way is highly possible. CDC has initiated the process of negotiation with USDA even before 2009 but the process has faced the opposition from the pork producers through their profound reluctance regarding the revelation of the information related with swine flue virus. Many consider that this is unnecessary interference and that might eventually pose threat to the free operation of their business on USA soil. Most of the producers believe that till the virus is not a threat to the national pig and pork production it should be laid to rest at the discretion of the producers. Considering the state of Arnold Van Ginkel the Canadian producer of pig who suffered havoc after the positive detection of his herd of H1N1 the producers are afraid of opening up to the surveillance team. Even after Ginkel’s pigs recovered they offered no commercial benefit considering the fact that no one was ready to buy them. To avoid such situation and put at side any individual loss the government has guaranteed the producers of absolute anonymity. Information coming that way will be bereft of any particular herd or producer or farm; it will be just the identification of the virus or its systematic tracking nothing else. Once a virus is detected concerned state would be alarmed to find any human presence of the same. Though this data gathering process has incorporated substantial rise in viral samples and types in CDC-USDA surveillance system database, yet many considers it insufficient. Simultaneously many eminent doctors and scientists consider this a positive step towards solution of the pork politics in USA. However unless the stance undergo substantial changes then a successor of the 2009 pandemic may put everyone at a risk again. The concerned article is closely tied with chemistry. The detection of swine flue viruses through blood test of the pig involves a bio-chemical process in laboratory. The invention of a vaccine for the same also is a chemical process. Chemical dyes are used as an indicator while blood testing and revealing virus strains. Furthermore the evolution of new virus from the old ones is a bio chemical process as well. All these put this article directly in touch of chemistry. Read More