H5N1 bird flu found in a pig in the U.S. for the first time

A pig in Oregon has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.

A pig in Oregon has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the United States.

Test results are pending for two other pigs found on the farm in Crook County, Oregon, the USDA said, while two others tested negative.

The pig that tested positive didn't show signs of illness.

The five pigs were tested for H5N1 out of an abundance of caution, officials said, and "because of the presence of H5N1 in other animals on the premises."

The case is concerning as pigs can become infected with both bird and human viruses at the same time, which can give rise to mutated strains that can more easily infect humans.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/bird-flu-pig-h5n1-first-time-rcna178077

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