MRSA in Pigs: Britain sabre rattling at Denmark

A very important article from the Ingineer this morning summarising the current MRSA situation in Denmark, with a look at Norway's efforts to eradicate the problem and a comment on the important British market.

The mechanical translation is a bit rough, the picture painted really accurate and depressing, but they miss the point in their very last sentence: that there is an immensely profitable premium market waiting development.  The Norwegians are lining up to take it, with my parallel ideas for the Scottish island of Islay, following the same potential course, albeit slowly. Even Denmark is trying to start something similar on Bornholm.

It is good to be constructive in bad times.

The "saber rattling" from the UK is a fabrication to help cover-up  a massive scandal founded on veterinary drug dealing. The scandal will unravel taking much of the current British veterinary establishment with it.

There is no reason to think that British pigs are any healthier than Danish pigs. The cogenesi all know that: their marketing stance betrays them. They are keen on marketing, more keen than is healthy, and they certainly would not miss the opportunity.

If British pigs really were free of MRSA, Defra, Britain's corrupt agricultural ministry and their cronies would be yelling it from the rooftops, increasing production and, demanding and getting premium prices for MRSA free pork. That is simple common sense. They would not miss the chance.

But "good money" can drive out bad, premium prices can create the expensive production that shows that MRSA free pigs are possible.

Then it is just politics, economics and tending the graves of the victims of the scandal of the century.

Be sure to read the Ingineer article in full, here. It is interesting, reliable and important.

MRSA: therefore being so little, even if you hear so much

Analysis: An Action Plan will not seriously dampen the occurrence of resistant bacteria pig - but there is no inexpensive ways to get rid of it.

By Magnus Bredsdorff March 29, 2015 at. 12:00

How can a bacteria like MRSA that gets so much attention in the public debate, still allowed to spread between pigs and humans?
The question remains, after the Food Minister Dan Jørgensen (S) last week presented an action plan to curb the infection. For the problem with the plan is that it does not do much to actually reduce infection.

It sounds totally illogical, and for an explanation, we need to turn the clock back one year. When initiated engineer as first a long series of articles, which documented that the infection was more or less out of control... 

...It will, however, according to the researchers not the action plan, which reduces MRSA infection significantly.

In the short term it can only happen if agriculture itself sees an interest in it. It could, for instance. be if overseas customers start demanding MRSA-free pork. Supermarket chains in both the UK and Sweden have rattled the saber, but so far it has been empty threats. For it will be impossible to obtain MRSA-free meat in large quantities from anywhere in the world.

MRSA in Pigs - Facts and figures from Denmark

We reference the usual capable report from Kjeld Hansen.

Elsewhere, as well, we are getting information of the high incidence of MRSA in German pig herds. From what we have, it does not look any better than Denmark.

Britain, in theory, remains a mystery. There are few reliable facts and figures: deliberately, no doubt.

However, some of the Scottish pig producers, worried about MRSA,  are complaining about the wisdom of the big international genetics companies in moving live breeding stock and semen from Denmark to Scotland. We have heard this complaint before.

We may be seeing the final days of the current pig production and distribution systems in Europe and elsewhere.

Change is inevitable: in provision of clean starter stock, reduced movement of pig genetics between countries, and, indeed, the actual husbandry.

The first, clean starter stock, will be associated with new high health pig production in remote locations - top science bringing prosperity to islands such as Islay and Bornholm .

The second, free movement of genetics and live animals between countries has to be curtailed and the reduced volume allowed must be closely controlled - a clean health certificate has been shown to be inadequate in preventing the export and import of disease.

Finally, the husbandry will have to be antibiotic free and with fewer pigs in more locations. The pigs and the larger number of small premises, in future perhaps, owned by the actual farmers. External visitors will be discouraged to reduce footfall though the farms. Pork will be more expensive: farming safer and more secure.

Anyway, here is Kjeld Hansen giving a view from Denmark with lots of figures. Be sure to read in full, here.


MRSA epidemic and cut pigtails hitting exports of Danish pork to Sweden

Published March 26, 2015 | By Kjeld Hansen

The highly critical mention of Danish pork in Sweden now appears clearly in Danish exports to the neighboring country. Sales of Danish meat cuts have dived sharply... 

...The publication of a number MRSACC398-related deaths in Germany will undoubtedly attract critical attention in terms of exports of live pigs to Germany. From Denmark alone sent 11 million. pigs to Germany each year, and probably at least two out of three (68
percent.) carriers of MRSACC398...

Britain - Hepatitis E and Norovirus in food under investigation

As regular readers know, we have been campaigning over the risks to human health from pigs infected with Hepatitis E for many years. The risks are not just in food.

Norovirus is also getting a long overdue airing in Britain.

One of Bill Marler's blogs in the USA was the first to tell us what was going on.

It is interesting to see just how much attention Britain is getting in zoonotic and food health circles abroad.

All these zoonotic diseases are an international issue in an increasingly interconnected world,

This story is not going to go away.

You can also find much of the history of these diseases in Britain and elsewhere on the British newsgroup uk.business.agriculture ( use google group's search ) and on this blog (use the searchbox at the head)  'Hepatitis' or  'Norovirus' will bring up dozens of articles and sources.

Be sure to read Marler's Food Safety Blog  in full here.

UK Foodborne Virus Reports Identify Areas Needing More Research

BY NEWS DESK | MARCH 26, 2015

...two reports published Wednesday on the status of viruses in the UK food chain.

The first, a report by Food Standards Agency (FSA) Chief Scientific Advisor Guy Poppy, explores what viruses in food are, how they cause disease, how FSA is working with others to use science to understand them, and some of the challenges around reducing the risks.

Two issues the report says the agency is working on are ways of detecting whether norovirus or Hepatitis E found in food is infectious and commissioning research on the heat stability of Hepatitis E due to uncertainty about how effective conventional cooking practices are in eliminating it from contaminated meat...

Denmark - We need antibiotics completely out of the pig sties.

Pretty important stuff, common-sense too, from Denmark and the respected Ingineer.

Now they just have to pluck up the courage to do it, in Denmark and in silent secretive Britain.

At least Denmark has the guts to admit they have a pig health problem and many of their top scientists have the courage to speak out against government inaction.

How unlike like Britain where her scientists are scared stiff of corrupt Defra, Britain's bullying agricultural ministry, its veterinarians and its cronies.

Still, the day will come when they will all be called to account. The rush to give Queen's Evidence will be breathtaking.

Be sure to read in full here -

Resistance researchers: We need antibiotics completely out of sties

A decrease of 15 percent in the consumption of antibiotics for pigs is too little. If only pigs are allowed to die anymore, it is possible to almost eliminate drugs in the stables.

By Magnus Bredsdorff March 19, 2015 at. 11:33

Antibiotics should be virtually eliminated in the Danish pig farms, and it can easily be done.

So says two of Denmark's leading researchers in resistant bacteria. The hoses both out after the action plan , as food minister Dan Jørgensen (S) on Wednesday presented and Minister sold to the media in that would cut 15 percent of antibiotic use in 2018...

"In my ideal world must antibiotics completely away from the stables. If we three years can halve consumption, then it is a beginning, "says Professor and Consultant Westh looking Knowledge Centre for MRSA at Hvidovre Hospital...

Spain - HEV, HIV and pigs

We have long been writing about Hepatitis E (HEV)  moving from pigs into the general population. A typical article dealing with HEV in Irish blood transfusions last year is here.

Now we hear from Spain about additional risks to people infected with HIV.

The pigs have to be made healthy again.You can see the case for genuine 'high tech' high health pig farms in remoter locations, as is proposed for Scotland on Islay, and Denmark on Bornholm, strengthening by the day. The healthy pigs bred away from sick herds can be used to repopulate a failing industry nationally re-organised in less risky ways.

Currently, the pigs are sick and a danger to human health. The problems have to be tackled: they won't go away without effort.

The need will provide the motivation and the finance. The many high status jobs and the more humble will be welcome and a good counter to areas of depopulation.

Anyway, you can read about the latest news about Hepatitis E  dangers to HIV infected people here on ProMed.


Published Date: 2015-03-14 22:52:03

Subject: PRO/EDR> Hepatitis E - Spain: HIV infected individuals 

Archive Number: 20150314.3230174

Norway and Britain - MRSA in pigs

England and Scotland do not have MRSA in their pigs according to the Britsh government.

Maybe Norway has to learn from Britain’s corrupt veterinarians – how to lie, cheat, fake and endanger human health over many years.

It is tough for Britain’s veterinary establishment: they now face prosecution for crimes against humanity at the Hague.

This is Denmark writing about events in Norway here.

15 farms affected by MRSA in Norway

SWINETuesday, 10 March 2015 14:36​​Print Written by Nikolaj Nielsen Babis

Half of the 30 pig farms in Norway, which was feared to be affected by MRSA have tested positive for the bacteria, but the Swedish Mattillsynet (the Norwegian was on DVFA) does not expect the emergence of more infected herds up.

For only a few months ago, the Norwegian authorities say that they have managed to fight MRSA bacteria in Norwegian pig herds, but rather after the danger had blown over, there has been new discoveries of bacteria, writes Swedish atl.nu .

Mattillsynet have now got the test results back from the 30 farms that were thought to carry the infection, and they showed that bakteriene was present in 15 pig farms in the country. Five were weaners and the last 10 were herds of pigs.

Britain and MRSA LA-MRSA - latest

Don't know anything, don't want to know anything, never will know anything. 

It adequately covers this British government report.

Britain's veterinary industry obviously know how they are going to get caught hiding up MRSA st398.

Britain's competitors have long ago become curious about how Britain should have achieved the apparent miracle of avoiding LA- MRSA for so many years.

One can well imagine that freezers all over the developed world are stuffed with samples of British pork awaiting the day of judgement

..."There was discussion on the role whole genome sequencing might play in revealing the direction of travel of MRSA."...

You would laugh at this next quote were it not so serious. Yes, 15 years to consider a report and then they are more curious about everyone else's situation rather than Britain's.

..."The group commented on this proposal, and suggested that such a
review should follow on from the 1999 ACMSF report and in particular
should incorporate recent findings from countries outside the UK."...

Then we get a ridiculous dismissal of the Jim O'Neill report on the cost in human deaths and money of antibiotic resistance.

..."The Jim O'Neill led group is approaching the issues surrounding AMR
from an economic perspective and as such their work is aimed at a
different audience."...

What audience is this group supposed to be addressing?

Anyway you can read the whole sad story here.

Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group meeting 17 December 2014

Last updated:  9 March 2015
Summary of the 6th meeting of the group

Update on MRSA in the food chain

Pig MRSA and Zinc Oxide - Dangers for Humans

We do not know the situation in Britain. The increasing problem of zoonotic diseases on British farms and in British livestock and food has been covered-up and lied about for many years.

So we look to 'free speech' Denmark for information.

Denmark is far from perfect, they even arrest journalists covering the story, but at least discussion and publication is allowed on most aspects of the problem, despite the horrific economic and employment implications for a country living off the hog's back.

Politiken publishes a major article today dealing with the risks associated with feeding zinc oxide to pigs. The article in full is here.

MRSA thrives on popular zinc-drug for pigs

Medical zinc is more popular than ever, but increases the risk tohumans.

Simon Reenberg SIMON REENBERG Journalist
Jacob Friberg Nielsen JACOB FRIBERG Journalist

And zinc is popular among pig farmers. The consumption of the drug Zinc oxide has more than tripled since DVFA records began in 2005. In 2014, consumption rose to unprecedented heights with 412.4 tonnes of zinc.

It shows a new report from the Food Authority, which Politiken's possession.

But the increasing zinc consumption is not safe for people. In fact, bacteria fight even better conditions for the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pig-MRSA, which is also resistant to zinc...

..."When the zinc inhibits the growth of other bacteria, it makes room for the MRSA bacteria thrive," explains Westh, professor at MRSA Knowledge Center.

And it is an overlooked problem, says professor of microbiology at the University of Southern Denmark, Hans Jørn Kolmos:

"Zinc consumption for pigs is a major problem for people because it cultivates MRSA in pigs, which are transferred to the people and give
diseases'...

You can find a similar story here: also published today and with a startling graph and worrying statistics.