Waterfowl such as ducks and a host of eternal for influenza A viruses, including H1N1 sub-type that is currently starting outbreaks in several countries and also has entered Indonesia.
“Poultry water reservoir can be regarded as eternal. This virus (influenza A) does not cause illness in birds, but after switching to a pig posing as mixing vessel (mixing medium), becomes more fierce,” said Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University ( IPB), Dr. drh. I Wayan Teguh Wibawan in Bogor.
In fact, he added, influenza A virus H1N1 sub-type does not all have the same degree of malignancy with H1N1 influenza virus previously known as swine flu.
In the case of swine flu, obviously Wayan, H1N1 viruses in pigs in the body using a genome of influenza A viruses from different species, in this case from poultry and humans, or called reasurtan process.
“There are two possibilities that occur, the virus becomes stronger or weaker it becomes depends on the genome that is taken in the reasurtan process,” he said.
Regarding preventive measures, Wayan said, measures to limit traffic pigs will not be efficient.
“It’s the most important thing to do is to avoid transmission from human to human,” he said.
Until now, he added, there are no reports of transmission of H1N1 viruses from pigs to humans. Fact that there is transmission from humans to pigs. ”
Wayan said that the current news about the swine flu was not proportional and balanced. Therefore, veterinarians have an important task in providing information about the disease so that people can understand proportionately.
According to him, the vet is currently faced with important issues about the provision of animal protein for the people, prevention of animal diseases, zoonotic disease control increasingly complex, enzootik disease resistance can come in and threaten the state.
While Rector of IPB, Dr. Ir. Herry Suhardiyanto, M. Sc say, the issue is a big challenge for the veterinarian in the whole world.
“Medical treatment of humans is important, but the handling of the source (animal) is not less important. Therefore, the role of veterinarians is very strategic, especially in veterinary public health, animal health and food safety,” he said.
