TORONTO — Scientists from Hong Kong are calling for enhanced surveillance of pig populations after discovering a new swine flu virus that is a hybrid of the pandemic H1N1 virus and viruses previously found in pigs.
The discovery of the virus, found early this year in a pig taken to slaughter in Hong Kong, suggests the H1N1 virus may reassort easily with other viruses in pigs.
That’s a process that could generate new flu viruses that might have the capacity to sicken humans, they warned, noting two viruses high on the pandemic watch list — H5N1 and H9N2 — are occasionally found in swine in Asia.
Inherent in their report is a message flu experts know the world doesn’t want to hear at this point: the mild H1N1 pandemic may be the opening act of a longer play.
“This particular paper is extremely interesting because it demonstrates for the first time what we had worried about at the very onset of the pandemic,” said Dr. Nancy Cox, head of the influenza division at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
“And that is that this particular virus, when introduced into pigs, could reassort with the resident viruses in pigs and we would have new gene constellations. And bingo, here we are.”
The discovery was reported by scientists from the University of Hong Kong and Shantou University College in Guangdong province, China.