Swine flu found in pigs at Oakland County Fair, transmission to humans is ‘rare’

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Health officials are in the middle of a contract-tracing effort after pigs at the Oakland County Fair tested positive for the influenza A.

The fair’s opening day was July 7. According to the Oakland County Health Division, the infections were discovered a week later on July 14.

The pig barn was closed that evening, according to officials.

“I would not panic at all. I would not worry,” said Dr. Teena Chopra, director of Infection Prevention at Detroit Medical Center.

The pigs tested positive for influenza A, which can cause the swine flu.

“It is very rare for influenza to be transmitted from pigs to humans,” Chopra saud.

According to the health department, the fair continued on through the weekend, but the pig barn was closed to the public.

“Pigs are like mixing factories in which the virus can mutate and develop in a different strain and cause infection,” Chopra said.

Chopra says it’s important to note the swine flu pandemic in 2009 was caused by a person-to-person infection.

However, it’s not to say someone with a compromised immune system couldn’t have gotten infected at the fair if they came in contact with a sick pig.

“But for the most part, a healthy person will not really get a lot of symptoms. They will just develop immunity to it, antibodies to it and go on with their life,” Chopra said.

No human cases of swine flu have been reported in Michigan this year, according to the health department.

Chopra says if you attended between July 7 and July 14 and are immunocompromised, you should monitor for symptoms.

“If they have symptoms, I would see their doctor,” Chopra said.

Symptoms of swine flu in people are like seasonal flu and may include fever, cough, runny nose and sometimes body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Symptoms usually appear within three days of exposure but can occur for up to 10 days.