is factory farming making you sick?

AGUIDETOANIMAL DISEASES ANDTHEIR IMPACTONHUMANHEALTHWritten & researched by Kelly Slade

Animal Aid exposes and campaigns peacefully against all animal abuse, and promotes a crueltyLfree lifestyle

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The global rise in foodborne diseaseshas been attributed to both increasedconsumption of animalLorigin foods andmethods of intensive production.1However, disease can be spread to thewider community via many routes Mincluding through contaminated water,and even through farm workers and theirfamilies. EightyLtwo per cent of farmerswho responded to a 2007 FarmersWeeklysurvey admitted to having limited orvirtually nonLexistent onLfarm biosecurity.This is a matter of serious concern,given that approximately twoLthirds ofthe 1,400 known human pathogensNbiological agents that cause diseaseO arethought to have originated in animals. Inrecent years, animal farming has broughtus BSE, bovine TB, foot andmouth, bird flu, swine flu,campylobacter, salmonellaand many more devastatingdiseases. The United NationsFood and AgricultureOrganization has warnedthat global industrial meatproduction poses a seriousthreat to human health.Stressed animals standingfor weeks or months intheir own filth, alongsidedead and dying animals, aremore vulnerable to infection.

Equally, the concentration on a fewhighLyield breeds has led to geneticerosion and weakened immunity. Thisis the perfect setting in which a diseaseorganism can spread rapidly.Farmed animals are fed drugs, includingantibiotics, in an attempt to keep themhealthy. During an Animal Aid pig farminvestigation in 2009, we found dustbinsoverflowing with used veterinary productbottles and syringes. Among theconditions the products were intendedto treat were pneumonia, respiratorydisease, diarrhoea, wasting anddehydration. The animal farmingindustry’s overuse of antibiotics andantiviral drugs has allowed pathogens tomutate into more dangerous forms andbecome drug resistant. This placespeople as well as animals at serious risk.As always, when animals are exploited,we have to pay the price as well.

INTRODUCTION

Introduction........................................................................................1Avian NBirdO Flu ..................................................................................2Bovine TB ..........................................................................................4BSE ......................................................................................................6Campylobacter ..................................................................................8E.Coli NO157:H7O ..............................................................................10Foot and Mouth Disease..................................................................12Johne’s Disease..................................................................................14Meningitis ........................................................................................16MRSA ................................................................................................18Q Fever..............................................................................................20Salmonella ........................................................................................22Swine Flu ..........................................................................................24

The majority of farmed animals inthe UK are crowded inside filthy,barren sheds M the perfect breedingground for viruses and bacteria.These intensive systems of animalagriculture threaten both the globalenvironment and public health.

1With grateful thanks to Michael Greger M.D. NDirector of Public Health and Animal Agriculture,Humane Society InternationalO for providing expert assistance during the compilation of this report.

DISCARDEDVETERINARYPRODUCTCONTAINERS

1 Adams, M. and Motarjemi, Y. N1999O Basic Food Safety for HealthWorkers. Geneva,Switzerland:World Health Organization Press.

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AVIAN NBIRDO FLU

HistoryAvian influenza was first discovered amongpoultry in Italy in the 1870s. The H5N1strain of highly pathogenic NdiseaseLcausingOavian influenza, which became widespreadin South East Asia in early 2004, has led tothe destruction of hundreds of millions ofbirds, and has spread west through Europeand Africa.

SourceANew Scientist article indicated that drugresistant strains of H5N1 developed as a resultof the widespread use by Chinese poultryfarmers of the antiviral drug Amantadine.1

One of the largest outbreaks in the UKoccurred at a Bernard Matthews farm in2007, when 160,000 birds were gassed todeath to try to prevent the disease fromspreading. More than 2,000 of thecompany’s birds died in one week insidethe overcrowded sheds. Despite the birds’severe suffering, the first victims wentunnoticed because the attrition rate inintensive poultry sheds is always so high.The industry acknowledges that some 100viral, bacterial and musculoLskeletalconditions commonly affect commercialpoultry.2

What is it?Avian influenza Nbird fluO is a highly contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory,digestive and/or nervous systems of many species of birds. It is caused by a Type Ainfluenza virus. In its natural state, the virus has existed for millions of years as a harmless,intestinal infection of aquatic birds, such as ducks. But, on poultry farms, bird flu hasbecome a lethal condition that is occuring around the world more frequently.

Symptoms in animalsBirds shed the virus in their saliva, nasalsecretions and faeces. The mild form ofinfluenza produces symptoms, includingrespiratory problems, so inconspicuousthat the outbreak may go unnoticed. Thesevere form may kill almost 100 per centof infected birds within 48 hours.In 1997, a Hong Kong farmer described thesevere symptoms of H5N1: ‘Their bodiesbegan shaking as if they were suffocatingand thick saliva started coming out of theirmouths. The faces went dark green andblack and then they died.’ Pathologists havefound that the virus had reduced the birds’internal organs to a bloody pulp.3

Symptoms in peopleHuman victims have died of multipleorgan failure. Their lungs filled with blood,their livers and kidneys became cloggedwith dead tissue and their brains swelledwith fluid. The mortality rate is currently 60per cent.4

Routes of transmissionH5N1 can enter poultry sheds throughsupplies, cages, clothes, delivery vehicles,mammals and even insects. Equally, diseasedmaterial can just as easily leave such units.5

The H5N1 virus was first shown to havepassed from birds to humans in 1997, duringan outbreak among poultry in Hong Kong.The first possible case of humanLtoLhumantransmission was reported in Thailand in2004.6 The disease cannot pass easily fromone human to another, although recent

research has shown that rapid mutationof the virus might make this easier inthe future.People are most likely to pick up the bugthrough direct contact with secretionsfrom infected birds, especially faeces. At theslaughterhouse, during removal of internalorgans, the intestines are often ripped. Astudy found that 42 birds who followed aripped carcass on the line were alsocrossLinfected.7 AUnited StatesDepartment of Agriculture microbiologistsaid: ‘At the end of the line, the birds areno cleaner than if they had been dipped inthe toilet.’8

TreatmentHundreds of millions of chickens and duckshave been killed across South East Asia inan effort to prevent the virus spreadingfrom birds to people.An antiviral drug that inhibited replicationof the many naturally occurring human andanimal strains of flu typeAwas used routinelyin poultry in China. Now the drug isworthless against certain strains of the virus.

2 3

CROWDED ‘BROILER’ SHED

REFERENCES1 News Service 22nd June 2005. www.newscientist.com2 Annual Disease Directory. PoultryWorld.3 Greger, M. N2006O Bird Flu.A virus of our own hatching.Green Press.

4 http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2010_04_21/en/index.html

5 Yousaf, M. N2004O Avian influenza outbreak hits theindustry again.World Poultry,Vol 20, No 3.

6 Macnair, T. N2007O Avian flu Nbird fluO. www.bbc.co.uk.7 Ibid.8 Ibid.

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BOVINETB

HistoryDuring the 1930s, at least 40 per cent ofBritish cows were infected with bTB.1Many were kept near large cities to provideurban dwellers with fresh milk and mostwere closely confined, in poorly ventilatedcowsheds. Many infected cows developedTB in the udders and shedM. bovis in themilk. Because most milk was drunk raw, itwas a major cause of TB in humans, witharound 2,500 people dying annually fromthe disease.2Routine pasteurisation of cows’ milkand inspections of cattle carcasses atslaughterhouses were introduced. And, by

the 1980s, the government had begun a TBtesting and slaughter scheme for cattle.

Symptoms in animalsDue to the slow progression of infectionand the early age at which cattle areslaughtered, the clinical signs of bTB arenow rarely seen in cattle in Britain. Someanimals show no evidence of the disease,yet may be found to be so seriously infectedduring slaughter inspection that theircarcasses are condemned.3 Lesions arecommon in the lungs, and these cause ahard, dry, short cough, which leads to morefrequent coughing and laboured, painful

breathing. The animals losecondition and later cough upblood. The udder can also beaffected, with hard lumpsappearing.4

SourceBovine TB is spread primarilywhen bacteria are released intothe air through coughing andsneezing. This transmissionusually happens when animalsare in close contact with eachother, so crowded conditionsplay a major factor.

What is it?Bovine tuberculosis NbTBO is a serious disease arising from infection by a bacteria calledMycobacterium bovis <M. bovis=. Cattle, buffalo and bison are the natural hosts but nearly allwarmLblooded animals are susceptible to the infection. This complicates the control ofbovine TB, particularly when the infection becomes selfLsustaining in wildlife species.

.

Up to 40,000 cattle are slaughtered everyyear due to bTB. This number has risen bya third since 2007.5 In the UK, badgershave been blamed for hosting the disease.Since 1975, 30,000 badgers have beendestroyed in a failed attempt to curb itsspread. Tests revealed that 80 per cent ofthe slaughtered animals were free of TB.6

Routes of transmissionBovine TB can be transmitted fromaffected animals to people, causing acondition very similar to human TB. Therisk of exposure is greatest in enclosedareas, as invisible droplets containing TBbacteria may be inhaled.While less than one per cent of allconfirmed cases of TB in humans are dueto infection withM. bovis, Defra believesthat the disease has the potential to be asignificant health risk.

Symptoms in peopleTB in humans causes the same symptomswhether it is caused byM. bovis or thehuman pathogenM. tuberculosis Nchest pain,coughing up blood and a prolonged coughO.And, in the same way that cattle can spreadbTB to humans, a person carrying bTB caninfect cattle.

TreatmentThe course of treatment for humans withbTB takes 6 to 9 months, with the successrate being more than 95 per cent.7 Inanimals, the policy is to control bTB withinan affected herd through regular testing

and slaughter of any single animal who testspositive until the entire herd tests negativefor the disease.A nineLyear official government study foundthat when badgers were killed to try tocontrol outbreaks Nproactive cullsO,incidence of the disease in cattle actuallyrose by about 20 per cent because thebadgers moved to escape the slaughter,thereby infecting new areas. Proactive culls,which continue year after year, were foundto reduce the disease in the cull areas by 23per cent, but increase it by even more insurrounding areas as infected badgers movein. And unless the culling continues, theyeventually return to their old haunts.8 Otherstudies suggest that a more effective way oftackling bTB would be to monitor andcontrol cattle movements, given that mostcases are caught from other cattle. A badgervaccine against TB is almost ready and couldbe administered orally, through bait, by 2014.

4 5

REFERENCES1 Davies, C. N2009O Bovine TB is ‘out of control’, warnfarmers. Guardian. 8th March.

2 Defra. N2003O Update on Bovine statistics. TB Forumpaper TBF 87, points 13L15 www.Defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb.

3 McGinness, S. N1998O Bovine Tuberculosis ResearchPaper 98/63. House of Commons.

4 Lean, G. N2010O Bovine TB: An ill wind blows for MrBadger. Telegraph. 22nd January.

5 Andrew Turnbull, Disease Control Division of MAFFspeaking at the All Party Parliamentary Group forAnimalWelfare meeting, 21st May 1996.

6. http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/abouttb/index.htm.

7 McGinness, S. N1998O Bovine Tuberculosis ResearchPaper 98/63. House of Commons.

8 Pugh, J. N2009O Target TB:What you really need toknow about TB in cattle. Farmers Guardian. 8th May.

ZEROLGRAZED DAIRYCOW


BSE

HistoryThe first animal fell ill with BSE in Britain in1984. Over the next few years, the epidemicspread nationwide. To date, there have beenaround 180,000 confirmed cases in cowsand another 4.7 million adult animals weredestroyed during the eradicationprogramme.1 BSE is now found in at least25 countries and is estimated to have costEuropean Union taxpayers P65 billion.2

SourceIn 2000, a governmentLcommissionedinquiry found that BSE developed into adisaster because of the feeding of cows,who are natural herbivores, with theremains of other cows.3 The feed alsoincluded the ground and cooked body partsof sick and injured animals taken from theslaughtering process.

Symptoms in animalsBSE causes a spongy degeneration in thebrain of cattle. It has an incubation periodof about four years, before symptomsappear. They include changes in mentalstate and abnormalities of posture,movement and sensation.

Symptoms in peopleAnxiety and depression are often the firstsymptoms of the human form of BSE,known as variant CreutzfeldtLJakob DiseaseNvCJDO. As in cattle, it affects the nervoussystem, causes a degenerative brain diseaseand is invariably fatal. There may be painand strange sensations in the face andlimbs. Months later, there might bejerkiness in movement, unsteadiness inwalking, progressive dementia and,eventually, loss of ability to move or speak.

Routes of transmissionVCJD is thought to be acquired throughexposure to BSE by eating contaminatedbeef products.4 A total of 167 cases of vCJDhave been reported in the UK Nthe last onein 2008O, of which 164 have proved fatal.5

Doctors and scientists have warned that asecond wave of vCJD could sweep Britainover the next two to three decades, as it hasemerged that the longLincubating illnessinfected a patient with a different gene typefrom previous British victims. Amajorcomplicating factor of prions are theirvirtual indestructibility. They cannot easilybe destroyed by heat treatment.6 Scientistshave also confirmed that vCJD can be

What is it?BSE <Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy= M also known as ‘madLcow disease’ M is caused byan abnormal, infectious protein known as a prion. The late 1980s and early ’90s UKBSE crisis was one of the most devastating disease epidemics that has ever struck theEuropean cattle population.

passed from person to person throughcontaminated medical equipment and bloodtransfusion.7

TreatmentFrom 1988, the UK government beganintroducing various restrictions on thetypes of foods that could be fed to farmedanimals and what parts could go into thefood chain. There was a mass slaughter ofadult animals judged to present a risk tohuman health, and farmers werecompensated NOver Thirty Month SchemeO.Young calves were also killed NCalfProcessing SchemeO as a measure to protectthe devastated trade in cattle meat. The EUbanned exports of live cattle and cattlemeat from Britain but, over the years, the

various restrictions have been eliminated,with exports to Europe reLcommencingin 2006.

6 7

REFERENCES1 Brown, D. N2000O The recipe for disaster that killed 80and left a P5bn bill. The DailyTelegraph. 27th October.

2 McKie, R. N2008OWarning over second wave of CJDcases. The Observer. 3rd August.

3 The BSE Inquiry, led by Lord Phillips ofWorthMatravers, report published October 2000. DefraN2007O Zoonoses Report.

4 Defra N2007O Zoonoses Report.5 Andrews, N. J. N2009O Incidence of variantCreutzfeldtLJakob disease diagnoses and deaths in theUK. Statistics Unit, Centre for Infections, HealthProtection Agency.

6 Moss, L. N2007O Britain may never be rid of vCJD threatwithout screening. Scotsman. 24th September.

7 N2006O vCJD case highlights blood transfusion risk.Medical Research Council.

VICTIMS OFTHE BSE ‘CULL’


CAMPYLOBACTER

HistoryCampylobacter was first observed in stoolsamples taken from children withdiarrhoea in 1886. By 1986, it was themost commonly reported gastrointestinalpathogen in the UK.1

SourceCampylobacter is present in the intestinesof farmed animals worldwide but they,typically, show no signs of illness. A Britishabattoir survey revealed that 24 per centof cattle, 17 per cent of sheep and 94 percent of pigs carried Campylobacter ofpublic health significance in their faeces.2

A 2007L2008 Food Standards AgencyNFSAO survey of chicken meat samplesfound that nearly two thirds ofsupermarket chicken was CampylobacterLcontaminated,3 compared with aroundhalf in 2001.4

It was reported in January 2010 thataround 440,000 people fall ill and 80 dieeach year in the UK alone.5 This is anincrease of 40,000 on 2006.

Symptoms in animalsThe types most commonly found inpeople NC. jejuni and C. coliO are notassociated with illness in animals. As aresult, the way in which the infection

spreads between and within herds andflocks is not fully understood.

Symptoms in peopleInfection can cause a severe form of foodpoisoning marked by bloody diarrhoea,abdominal pain, fever, headache andvomiting. The symptoms typically lastthree to six days. Fatal outcomes usuallyonly occur in the very young or elderly, orthose with another serious disease.LongLterm consequences can includeparalysis, arthritis, heart infection andsepticaemia.6

Routes of transmissionUndercooked meat Nespecially poultryO isthe main cause of illness. Other sourcesinclude contact with live poultry,unpasteurised milk and untreated water.

TreatmentThe wide occurrence of Campylobacter andthe fact that most reports are individualcases as opposed to outbreaks, makes itdifficult to pinpoint an exact source.Improved bioLsecurity can reduce theincidence in poultry kept in closedhousing conditions. Hygiene practices atslaughterhouses may reduce contaminationof carcasses by faeces.7 The only method

What is it?Campylobacter is a group of bacteria that are a major cause of diarrhoeal illness in humansand are generally regarded as the most common cause of bacterial food poisoning. Twospecies account for the majority of infections: C. jejuni and C. coli.

8

REFERENCESpresumed to eliminate Campylobacter fromcontaminated foods is heat Ncooking orpasteurisationO or irradiation. Othercountries have reduced contamination bydisinfecting chicken meat with chlorinewashes M a method currently banned inthe EU.The FSA reports that the number ofCampylobacter strains resistant to antibioticshas risen from 48 per cent in 2001 to 87 percent in 2009.8

ANAILINGTURKEY

9

1 Defra N2007O Zoonoses Report.2 Defra. Summary profile for Campylobacter.3 Poulter, S. N2010O Food poisoning bug is found in twothirds of supermarket chicken. Daily Mail. 27th January.

4 Food Standards Agency N2001O http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/webpage/111802.

5 Poulter, S. N2010O Food poisoning bug is found in twothirds of supermarket chicken. Daily Mail. 27th January.

6 Roberts, T. et al. N2009O The LongLTerm Health Outcomesof Selected Foodborne Pathogens. Center for FoodborneIllness Research and Prevention.

7 World Health Organisation N2000O Campylobacter.www.who.int.

8 Poulter, S. N2010O Food poisoning bug is found in twothirds of supermarket chicken. Daily Mail. 27th January.


E.COLI NO157:H7O

HistoryE.coli O157:H7was first described as an‘emerging foodborne zoonotic pathogen’Nillness that can be transmitted fromanimals to humansO in 1982 during aninvestigation into an outbreak ofhaemorrhagic colitis Nbloody diarrhoeaO,associated with the consumption ofcontaminated burgers.1

SourceThe US Centers for Disease Control andPrevention has estimated that 85 per centof E.coli O157:H7 infections are foodborne

in origin. E. coli O157:H7 is found in the gutsof many animals, but mainly cows. Thebacteria is excreted in the faeces and is apotential risk to anyone working with orvisiting farmed animals and theirenvironment.The increased number of human cases hasbeen attributed to the intensification offarming practices and the consequentwidespread use of antibiotics. Studies inFrance,2 Sweden3 and Canada4 haveidentified a positive correlation betweenthe cattle density of an area and rates ofhuman infection.

What is it?Escherichia coli <E.coli= are members of a large group of bacteria M more than 700 types havebeen identified. They are mainly harmless and inhabit the intestinal tract of people and otherwarmLblooded animals but a few strains, including the notorious O157:H7, can be deadly.

Britain’s deadliest human E. coli O157:H7outbreak occurred in 1996 when 21 peopledied after eating infected meat from abutcher in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Another400 were infected. An inquiry found thatthere had been contamination between rawand cooked meat.5 Scotland has thehighest incidence of E. coli O157:H7 in theworld M every year about 250 people fall ill.6

Research by the Scottish AgriculturalCollege suggests that E.coli O157:H7 ispresent in about eight per cent of cattle onabout one in five farms.More recently, a major E.coliO157:H7 outbreakoccurred in September 2009, when 36 caseswere confirmed by the Health ProtectionAgency. The disease was spread by animalsat a petting farm in Surrey. Twelve childrenunder the age of 10 were hospitalised.7

Symptoms in animalsE.coli O157:H7Linfected farmed animalsshow no signs of illness.

Symptoms in peopleE.coli O157:H7 can cause a range ofsymptoms in people, from mild diarrhoeato severe abdominal pain. In a proportionof patients N2L7 per cent and mainly chilLdrenO, it can cause kidney failure. Infectionwith E. coli O157:H7 is now the leading causeof acute kidney failure in previouslyhealthy children.

Routes of transmissionConsuming contaminated beef products isthe most common source of infection for

people, but the disease can spread byany food or drink that has beencontaminated by animal NespeciallycattleO manure.Contact with infected animals or theirfaeces are other routes of transmission.

TreatmentMost people recover without specifictreatment. Use of antibiotics may increasethe risk of complications. In serious cases,transfusions of blood or blood clottingfactors as well as kidney dialysis may benecessary.Slaughterhouses are an obvious place forcontamination of meat. Operators areurged to ensure the animals’ skins are notcovered in faeces, and prevent the spillageof the digestive tract contents during andafter evisceration Norgan removalO.

10 11

REFERENCES1 Riley, L.W. et al N1983O Hemorrhagic colitis associatedwith a rare Escherichia Coli serotype. N. Engl. J. Med.30 8, 681L685.

2 HausLCheymol, R. et al. N2005O Association betweenindicators of cattle density and incidence of paediatrichaemolyticLuraemic syndrome NHUSO in children under15 years of age in France between 1996 and 2001:An ecological study. Epidemiol. Infect. 134, 1L7.

3 Kistemann, T. et al. N2004O GISLsupported investigationof human EHEC and cattle VTEC 0157 infections inSweden: Geographical distribution, spatial variation andpossible risk factors. Epidemiol. Infect. 132, 495L505.

4 Valcour, J.E. N2002O Associations between indicators oflivestock farming intensity and incidence of human ShigatoxinLproducing Escherochia coli infection. Emerg.Infect. Dis. 8, 252L257.

5 Elliott, V. and Reid, M. N2009O Deadly outbreak at butcherhighlights dangers of delay. TheTimes. 14th September.

6 Ibid.7 Elliott, V. N2009O 20,000 children put at risk by ditheringat E. coli farm. TheTimes. 14th September.

AYOUNG CASUALTYOF ‘ZEROLGRAZE’ FARMING


FOOT&MOUTH DISEASE

HistoryFMD was first shown to be viral in 1897 byFriedrich Loeffler. AfterWorldWar II, thedisease was widely distributed throughoutthe world.While some countries have beenfree of FMD for some time, its wide hostrange and potential to spread rapidly causesinternational concern. Most Europeancountries, including Britain, have nowbeen formally recognised as diseaseLfree.

Symptoms in animalsIt affects clovenLhoofed animals, inparticular cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, camelsand deer. Those raised in crowded factoryfarm conditions or who are otherwiseneglected are especially vulnerable to theseverest symptoms. Fever is followed by thedevelopment of blisters, chiefly in themouth or on the feet. FMD is rarely fatal,except in very young animals who may diewithout showing any symptoms. In dairycows, there is a high incidence of abortion,chronic mastitis and lameness M conditionsthat are already endemic in dairy herds.In 1920s India, scientist Sir Albert Howardresearched what was later called organicfarming. Over many years, it is reportedthat his own cattle never became ill with

FMD even though it was endemic andhis animals literally rubbed noses withdiseased cattle.3

SourceThe first confirmed case of the devastating2001 UK outbreak was found in an Essexabattoir. This was traced back to a swillfarm in Northumberland, where pigs werefed plate scrapings and other foodstuffsof animal origin Nincluding pigmeatO, thatwere considered unfit for humanconsumption. In the early ’70s, British pigfarms were badly hit by an outbreak ofswine vesicular disease, whose symptomsare practically indistinguishable from thoseof FMD. The source was again traced toswill farms and to the feeding of pigmeatto pigs. Infected animals secrete numerousviral particles M capable of becomingairborne M before clinical signs appear.Transmission can take place on the windand by the movement of animals, peopleand vehicles that have been contaminatedwith the virus. Long distance animaltrading and dense populations of animalshelp to facilitate the spread.There were eight confirmed cases of FMDin one area in southLeast England in 2007.4

What is it?Foot and Mouth disease NFMDO is caused by a picornavirus, of which there are sevenmain types, each producing the same symptoms and distinguishable only in thelaboratory.1 According to the Department of Food and Rural Affairs NDefraO, ‘FMD isprobably more infectious than any other disease affecting man or animals and spreadsrapidly if uncontrolled.’2

Routes of transmissionFMD crosses the species barrier withdifficulty but a few cases of humans gettingsick have been recorded.5 However, the FoodStandardsAgency considers that FMD has noimplications for the human food chain.

Symptoms in peopleHuman symptoms are fluLlike with a feverand sore throat, although tingling blisterson the hands and feet and in the mouthhave been recorded.6

TreatmentDuring the 2001 UK outbreak, more than10 million animals were killed. Many wereshot with a captive bolt gun M a retractablemetal bolt used to stun animals in abattoirs.Following this, their main arteries shouldhave been cut or a metal rod inserted intothe gun hole to destroy the brain stem Nuseof this rod is now illegalO. However, there is

evidence that for many during the cull,this wasn’t the case, and they recoveredconsciousness and experienced their ownslow deaths piled up with their fellows.7

Younger animals were killed by a painfuland traumatic injection directly into theheart.Vaccination is an alternative to culling.However, vaccination programmes can affectthe ability to trade freely in animals andmeat products and so they are often resisted.

12

REFERENCES

13

CULLED SHEEPARE DISINFECTED

1 Defra. N2008O Disease factsheet: FootLandLmouthdisease NFMDO http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/fmd/about/factsheet.htm.

2 Ibid.3 Private Eye,March 9, 2001.4 Defra. N2009O Foot and Mouth Disease http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/fmd/.

5 Armstrong, R., Davie, J., Hedger, R.S. N1967OFootLandLmouth disease in man. BMJ, 4: 529L530.

6 Bauer, K. N1997O FootLandLmouth disease as zoonosis.ArchVirol, 13 NsupplO: 95L97.

7 Branigan, T. N2001O Stunned livestock ‘left to die’.Guardian. 24th March.


JOHNE’S DISEASE

HistoryJohne’s was first described in 1895. Thelast 100 years have seen a steady increasein the number of infected animals withina species, the number of different speciesinfected, and the number of countries inwhich it has taken root.1

Symptoms in animalsIn cattle, the main signs are diarrhoea andwasting. MAP symptoms are progressive,and so affected animals become increasinglyemaciated and usually die as a result ofdehydration and muscle loss. Signs arerarely evident until two or more yearsafter the initial infection.

SourceJohne’s disease is spreadprimarily by the faecalLoralroute. Therefore, one cowwith diarrhoea couldpotentially thoroughlycontaminate hersurroundings.2Confining large numbers ofanimals in small areas helpsto spread the disease and isone reason that it is sucha growing threat.3 SubLclinically infected animals

don’t have symptoms but they can shed thebacteria into the environment, giving MAPthe opportunity to become entrenched in aherd before it is apparent that a problemeven exists.4 Every time animals aretransported between farms, new herdsmay be infected.Results from a 2009 government study5

indicate that 42.5 per cent of UK dairyherds were infected with MAP.

Routes of transmissionThere are clinical similarities betweenJohne’s disease in ruminants andinflammatory bowel disease in humans,6

leading some researchers to argue that the

What is it?Johne’s disease is caused byMycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis NMAPO M abacterium, which causes a chronic and sometimes fatal infection, primarily affecting thesmall intestine of ruminants, such as cows. It is found around the world.

organism is a cause of Crohn’s.7 There aretwo strains of MAP: one that affects cattle,and one that affects goats and sheep. In2000, a British government survey of retailpasteurised milk found that paratuberculosisbacteria could be ‘grown out’ of three outof every 100 cartons of milk.8Whilepasteurisation kills most bacteria, MAPsurvives at higher temperatures and for alonger period of time.9 Second only toprions10 Nwhich cause mad cow diseaseO,MAP is considered the most heat resistantpathogen in the human food chain.11

Scientific studies argue both for and againstan association of MAP with human disease.

Symptoms in peopleCrohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatorybowel disease. Sufferers experience profuse,urgent diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fevers,severe joint pains, lack of energy and weightloss.12 The immune system starts attackingthe lining of the gut, which becomesswollen and inflamed.13 In extreme cases,this painful, embarrassing condition canaffect any part of the digestive system Mfrom the mouth to the anus.14 Theinflammation narrows the digestive tractand can result in excruciating pain duringdigestion, as well as constant uncontrollablebowel movements.

TreatmentThere is no cure for Crohn’s disease, onlytreatment that can aim to lower thenumber of times a person experiences arecurrence of symptoms.

Treatment may include drugs, nutritionsupplements, surgery or a combination.Traditional control methods for treatingJohne’s disease in farmed animals haveinvolved culling, segregating infectedanimals and stricter hygiene.

14 15

REFERENCES1 http://www.johnes.org/zoonotic/index.html.2 Proceedings of the 1999 Cornell Nutrition Conferencefor Feed Manufacturers Ithaca, NY: Dept. of AnimalScience:130.

3 Johne’s Disease M a Growing Threat to Dairymen.Hoard's Dairyman. 25th March 1981:456L60.

4 Pell, A.N. N1997O Manure and Microbes. Journal of DairyScience, 80, 2673L81.

5 An Integrated Strategy to Determine the Herd LevelPrevalence of Johne’s Disease in the UK Dairy Herd.DEFRANov 2009.

6 Juste, R.A., Elguezabal, N., Garrido, J.M. et al. N2008O.On the prevalence of M. avium subspeciesparatuberculosis DNA in the blood of healthyindividuals and patients with inflammatory boweldisease. PLoS ONE 3 N7O: e2537.

7 Uzoigwe, J.C., Khaitsa, M.L., Gibbs, P.S. NOctober 2007O.Epidemiological evidence for Mycobacterium aviumsubspecies paratuberculosis as a cause of Crohn’s disease.Epidemiol. Infect. 135 N7O: 1057M68.

8 Scientific Committee on Animal Health and AnimalWelfare. Possible links between Crohn’s Disease andParatuberculosis. SANCO/B3/R16/2000 EuropeanCommission DirectorateLGeneral Health & ConsumerProtection Directorate B M Scientific Health OpinionsUnit B3. Adopted 21st March 2000:50L 51.

9 United States Animal Health Association. N1998OReport of the USAHACommittee on Food Safety.Minneapolis, Minn.

10 Rampton, S. and Stauber, J. N1997O Mad CowU.S.A.:Could the Nightmare Happen Here? PRWatch 4.

11 NAID. NDec 14th 1998O Crohn’s Disease M Is There aMicrobial Etiology? Recommendations for a ResearchAgenda. Conference was held in theNatcher ConferenceCenter on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

12 Isselbacher, K.J, et al. N1994OHarrison’s Principles ofInternalMedicineThirteenth edition.NewYork:McGraw Hill.

13 Chiodini, R.J. N1996O M paratuberculosis in Foods andthe Public Health Implications. Proceedings of the FifthInternational Colloquium on Paratuberculosis. Madison,WI: InternationalAssociation for Paratuberculosis, 353L365.

14 Chiodini, R.J. and Rossiter, C.A. N1996O Paratuberculosis:A Potential Zoonosis? Veterinary Clinics of NorthAmerica12, 457L67.

DAIRYCOWWITH SEVERELY ‘OVERSTOCKED’ UDDER


MENINGITIS

HistoryStreptococcus suis has been a recognisedzoonosis Ninfectious disease that can betransmitted from animals to humansOsince 1968.

Symptoms in animalsMeningitis is most common in 4L8 weekLoldpigs. Typical symptoms include involuntaryeye movement, convulsions, paddling,shivering, signs of pain/discomfort, raisedhair and grinding teeth.3

SourceThe bacteria can be spread by direct andindirect contact and can cause disease whentoo many pigs are crowded together.4 Pigsmay spread infection without showing anysymptoms.5

Separate studies in 2001 and 2004concluded that around half of the Britishpig herd was carrying Strep. suis.6,7

Routes of transmissionHuman infection is usually through closecontact with infected pigs or with raw orundercooked pig meat, and is thought tooccur through cuts or abrasions on theskin when handling infected pig carcasses.

Just two or three human cases of Strep.suis are reported each year8 but it is arecognised occupational hazard toveterinary surgeons, farmers and meatindustry workers.9

The last fatal case of pigLlinked meningitisin the UK occurred in a farm worker in1999.10

In 2005, a human disease outbreak inChina caused by a strain of Strep. suisraised concern among theWorld HealthOrganization and UN Food andAgriculture Organization. ThirtyLsevenfarmers who died displayed symptoms Mbleeding under the skin M that hadpreviously been unheard of with thedisease.11 This outbreak coincided withone in the local pig populations.

Symptoms in peopleSevere cases of Strep. suis infection maycause meningitis, septicaemia andinflammation of the heart’s inner lining.12

LongLterm deafness and loss of balancemay occur in some patients.

TreatmentAntibiotics are the preferred treatment formeningitis in both animals and people.

What is it?Pig meningitis can be caused by the Streptococcus suis <Strep. suis= bacterium, which caninfect people in whom meningitis often develops. It is commonly found in the tonsils andnasal cavities of healthy pigs and is endemic in most countries with a substantial pigindustry, including the UK.1 There are at least 35 different types of Strep. suis.Two havebeen implicated in human infections.2

16

REFERENCES1 Defra N2007O Zoonoses Report.2 Health Protection Agency N2010O Streptococcus suis, general information. http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/1204100464730/.

3 The Pig Site N2010O Meningitis. http://www.thepigsite.com/diseaseinfo/66/meningitis.4 Associated Press N2005O Pig disease may have mutated, Canadian suspects. The Globe andMail. 3rd August.5 Health Protection Agency N2010O Streptococcus suis, general information. http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/ Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/1204100464730/.

6 MackHome, N. N2001O Epidemic of pig meningitis infects humans. Sunday Herald. 27th May7 Health Protection Agency N2010O Streptococcus suis, general information. http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/ Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/ 1204100464730/.

8 Ibid.9 Defra N2007O Zoonoses Report.10 Health Protection Agency N2010O Streptococcus suis, general information. http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/1204100464730/.

11 Associated Press N2005O Pig disease may have mutated, Canadian suspects. The Globe andMail. 3rd August12 Huang, Y.T. et al N2005O. Streptococcus suis infection. JMicrobiol Immunol Infect 38 N5O: 306M13.

THESE FACTORYFARMED PIGS DIED BEFORETHEYCOULD BE SLAUGHTERED


MRSA

HistoryMRSAwas discovered in the UK in 1961.In the late ’90s it became clear thatcommunityLacquired MRSA infectionswere caused by strains of MRSA thatdiffered from the older and better studiedhospitalLassociated strains.

SourceIn recent years, MRSA cases areincreasingly likely to be community Lrather than hospitalLacquired and thereis evidence to suggest that factory farms area source. The majority of farmed pigs arekept in crowded conditions where bugs canbe easily spread. A recent study found thatnearly half of Dutch pig farmers and 39 percent of pigs in Dutch slaughterhouses werecarriers of MRSA.2 Canadian researchersalso found a strong link between pigs andthe bug. There’s evidence that people cantransmit MRSA to pigs.3 Human or animalcarriers who do not display any signs ofillness can spread MRSA.

Symptoms in animalsMRSALinfected farmed animals often showno symptoms.

Symptoms in peopleMRSA does not usually harm healthy peoplebut those with compromised immunesystems or those who have gone throughsurgery are vulnerable. An infection canoccur when bacteria get into the bodythrough a break in the skin and multiply,causing symptoms such as boils, abscesses,styes, carbuncles Nlarge pusLfilled lumpsunder the skinO, cellulitis Ninfection of thedeep layer of the skin, fat and tissuesO orimpetigo Nhighly contagious skin infectionthat causes blistersO. If they get into thebloodstream the result can be more seriousinfections, such as blood poisoning, septicshock Ninfection of blood that can lead toorgan failureO, septic arthritis Nseverejoint inflammationO, osteomyelitis NboneinfectionO, abscesses, meningitis,pneumonia or endocarditis Ninfection ofthe heart liningO.

Routes of transmissionA new deadly strain M MRSA ST398 M whichhas been linked to deaths from pneumonia,has been discovered by researchers acrossEurope. It has been found in both pigs andpeople. It was first identified in 2003 in theNetherlands, where it is now responsiblefor 30 per cent of all human cases.

What is it?MRSA Nmethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus= is now killing more people in theUnited States each year than HIV/AIDS.1 It is a type of Staphylococcus aureus M acommon bacterium, which lives harmlessly on the skin or in the nose of 20L40 per centof people M that has become resistant to a range of antibiotics.

In 2008, the Daily Mail reported thatMRSA ST398 had been transmitted topeople in the UK. Scientists warned that itcould already be in the food chain, as noneof those infected worked with animals.4 Asmall number of tests found the bug in 20per cent of raw pork samples, 3 per cent ofraw beef and 21 per cent of raw chicken.5

It is feared that this new form of MRSAcould pose a far greater risk to the general

population than the hospital variant.Once it is in the human population, it livesinside the nose, so coughing and sneezingfacilitate its spread.

TreatmentSome MRSA strains are resistant to manyimportant antibiotics but most are saidto respond to an intensive course ofantibiotics.

18 19

REFERENCES1 McCaughey, B. N2006O To catch a deadly germ. NewYorkTimes. 14th November.2 Sayre, L. N2009O The hidden link between factory farms and human illness.Mother Earth News.www.motherearthnews.com.3 Smith, S. N2007O A tale of pigs, people and a shared germ. The Boston Globe. 12th November.4 Poulter, S. N2008O MRSA from pigs has passed to humans and could be in the food chain. Daily Mail. 2nd June.5 Poulter, S. N2007O MRSA bug discovered in meat and livestock. Daily Mail. 24th June.

PIGS REARED IN SQUALOR


Q FEVER

HistoryQ fever was first recognised in abattoirworkers in Brisbane, Australia in 1937.

Symptoms in animalsSigns of the disease are uncommon, butabortions may occur in cattle, sheep andgoats in whom the highest infection rateshave been reported.

SourceHuman cases of Q fever are rare in theUK. However, there have been recentoutbreaks M affecting as many as 138people M in locations handling animals orprocessing meat. Because the disease isunderLreported, scientists cannot reliablyassess its incidence. In the EU, reportedhuman cases increased from 585 in 2007to 1,599 in 2008.2

Routes of transmissionInfection results from inhalation ofcontaminated particles in the air, and fromcontact with the milk, urine and faecesof infected animals. Human outbreaksare often associated with the farmingbirthing season.3

Symptoms in peopleThough Q fever usually causes only strong,but treatable, fluLlike symptoms in humans,it can cause severe pneumonia and isknown to present an extra threat for peoplewith autoimmune diseases and with heartvalve problems. Only 1L2 per cent of peoplewith acute Q fever die of the disease, but asmany as 65 per cent of those with chronicNlongLlastingO versions may die.4

TreatmentIn most people, Q fever requires notreatment and symptoms will clear up ontheir own. But antibiotics may be neededfor some patients.C. burnetii is resistant to heat, drying andmany common disinfectants. These featuresenable the bacteria to survive for longperiods in the environment. Therefore, it isdifficult to prevent farmed animals frombecoming infected and there are no formalcontrol programmes or vaccines.5 Duringa 2009 Netherlands outbreak, the Dutchgovernment ordered preventative measures,including vaccinations and a transport ban,as well as the slaughter of tens of thousandsof pregnant sheep and goats.

What is it?Q NQueryO fever M soLcalled because for many years its cause was unknown M is caused byinfection with Coxiella burnetii, a bacterium that affects humans and other animals, suchas sheep, cattle and goats. It has been suggested that Q fever could be developed foruse in biological warfare and is considered a potential terrorist threat.1

20

REFERENCES1 Madariaga, M.G., et al N2003O. Q fever: a biological weapon in your backyard. Lancet Infect Dis 3 N11O: 709M21.2 European Food Safety Authority. N2010O The community summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses and zoonotic agents andfoodLborne outbreaks in the European Union in 2008. www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/scdoc/1496.htm.

3 Sterling, T. N2009O Dutch cull first of 40,000 goats to counter QLfever outbreak, which has killed 6 people. The Canadian Press.21st December.

4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Q fever. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/qfever/.5 Defra. N2009O Q fever: information for farmers. http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/vetsurveillance/documents/qfeverLfarmers.pdf.

YOUNG INTENSIVELYLFARMED GOAT


SALMONELLA

HistorySalmonella outbreaks have occurredthroughout the last 100 years. By the 1990s,S. enteritidis infections from eggs hadreached pandemic proportions.

SourceAccording to a 2007 report, nearly a quarterof chicken flocks reared for meat acrossEurope are infected with Salmonella.2And around 10.3 per cent of pigs going toslaughterhouses across the EU test positivefor Salmonella.3

Studies show that poor ventilation, highdust levels4 and overcrowding5 aid thespread of Salmonella among chickens.In 2009, the UK Health ProtectionAgency announced a threeLfold increaseover the previous twelve months in thenumber of human Salmonella casesreported that year.6

Symptoms in animalsWhen farmed animals, particularly poultryand pigs, become infected with Salmonella,they frequently become carriers of the

infection without showing signs of illhealth. Nevertheless, infection mayoccasionally result in enteritis Ninflamedsmall intestineO, abortion, septicaemia,or death.

Symptoms in peopleSymptoms include diarrhoea, stomachcramps and sometimes vomiting andfever. Salmonella can trigger an arthriticcondition known as reactive arthritis,which causes painful and swollen joints.7

Routes of transmissionSalmonella can be transmitted bycontaminated food, usually of animal origin;faeces from an infected animal or person;and contact with infected animals. Themost common sources of infection arepoultry meat and eggs. Salad vegetables,spices and herbs, which may have beencrossLcontaminated with animal faeces,have also been implicated in largeoutbreaks of the infection.8

What is it?Salmonella is a group of bacteria presenting one of the commonest causes of foodpoisoning in Great Britain. They can also cause typhoid and paratyphoid fevers.Salmonellosis has been recognised as an important zoonotic disease None that can betransmitted from animals to humansO for many years. More than 2,500 different strainsof Salmonella have been identified, most of which rarely cause disease. Human diseaseis caused by about ten strains M the most important are S. enteritidis Nwhich originatesfrom infected poultry and eggsO and S. typhimurium Nwhich occurs especially in cattle, pigsand turkeysO.1

TreatmentHuman symptoms usually clear up withouttreatment. In severe cases, treatment maybe required for dehydration. There isconcern over the increasing resistance ofsome Salmonella bacteria to antimicrobials.One in five cases is now antibioticLresistantand one strain, known as DT104, is resistantto five major antibiotics used in humanmedicine.9

Eggs from birds testing positive forSalmonella Nspecifically S. enteritidis orS. typhimuriumO are not allowed to be solddirectly to consumers. Most commercialflocks of laying hens are vaccinated againstSalmonella.10

22 23

REFERENCES1 Defra N2006O Summary profile for salmonellosis.2 N2007O One in four chicken flocks has salmonella.

TheTelegraph. 4th April.3 Trickett, S. N2009O Feed strategy to beat salmonella.

FarmersWeekly. 17th November.4 Holt, P.S. et al. N1998O Airborne horizontal transmissionof Salmonella enteritidis in molted laying chickens.Avian Dis. 42, 45L52.

5 Braden, C.R. N2006O Salmonella enterica serotypeEnteritidis and eggs: A national epidemic in the UnitedStates. Clin. Infect. Dis. 43, 512L517.

6 Food Standards Agency. N2009O Increases in cases ofsalmonella. www.food.gov.uk.

7 Roberts, T. et al. N2009O The Long;TermHealth Outcomesof Selected Foodborne Pathogens. Center for FoodborneIllness Research and Prevention.

8 Defra N2006O Summary profile for salmonellosis.9 Sayre, L. N2009O The hidden link between factory farmsand human illness.Mother Earth News.www.motherearthnews.com.

10 Defra N2007O Zoonoses Report.

MANYCHICKENS DIE INTHE REARING SHEDS


SWINE FLU

HistoryWhen human and avian influenza virusesinfect pigs, they have the potential to swapgenes. New pathogens, which are a mix ofswine, human and/or avian influenzaviruses, can then emerge. The pandemicH1N1 virus is just such an example. In 1998,the first hybrid swine flu virus in N.America was discovered in a factory farm inNorth Carolina, which made thousands ofpigs ill. By early 1999, a triple hybrid virushad spread throughout US pig factoriescontaining gene segments from bird,human and swine flu.1

SourceThere is now a scientific concensus thatthe virus of the 2009 swine flu pandemiclargely arose from this triple hybrid strain.

Symptoms in animalsSwine flu viruses can cause high levels ofillness yet low death rates in pigs.Symptoms include sudden onset of fever,depression, coughing NbarkingO, dischargefrom the nose or eyes, sneezing, breathingdifficulties, eye redness or inflammation.

Symptoms in peopleThe symptoms are similar to seasonal flu.They include fever, aching muscles and asore throat.

Routes of transmissionInfluenza viruses can be directly transmittedfrom pigs to people and from people topigs. Human infection from pigs is mostlikely to occur through close proximitywith infected pigs. HumanLtoLhumantransmission is thought to occur in thesame way as seasonal flu M throughcoughing or sneezing.During the first wave NAprilLSeptemberOof the 2009 pandemic in England, between144,000 and 670,000 people fell ill.2 Therewas another serious wave of illness anddeath reported in the winter of 2010/11.Worldwide, more than 200 countries havereported laboratory confirmed cases,including at least 15,292 deaths.3

TreatmentThere are antiviral drugs and vaccinesavailable, respectively, to treat andprevent swine flu in humans, but theirsafety, usefulness and high cost have beenseriously challenged. Although they haveno effect against the virus, antibiotics areused to prevent secondary infections ininfluenzaLweakened pig herds.

What is it?Swine Influenza is a respiratory illnessof pigs caused by a strain of influenzaA virus.

24

REFERENCES1 Lawrence, F. N2009O The pigs’ revenge. The Guardian.2nd May.

2 Health ProtectionAgency. N2009O Pandemic NH1N1O 2009in England: an overview of initial epidemiologicalfindings and implications for the second wave.

3 World Health Organisation N2009O Pandemic NH1N1O2009 M update 87. www.who.int.

We must reconsider our treatment of our fellow sentient beingsbecause of the effect their abuse and exploitation has, not only on theirwelfare, but on the health of people too.Each one of us can take a simple but important step to reduce the harmand hazard: adopt an animalLfree diet.


Published by Animal Aid May 2010, reLpublished January 2011 ISBN 978L1L905327L23L2Registered in UK 1787309. Incorporated as Animal Abuse, Injustice and Defence Society, a company limited by guarantee.

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