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Feral Pig

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Submitted By jojoman15
Words 1406
Pages 6
Joshua French
Professor Erika Burgess
BI101
25 July 2012

Feral Pigs and the Negative Effects on Humans

It is not every day that someone sits down and thoroughly thinks about the food that they consume. For that matter they do not even think about the animals that they touch, to include feral pigs. Feral pigs are, by definition, a pig that is not kept or bred in a holding (www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Feral+pig). In Eastern North Carolina these feral pigs are causing an uproar and uneasiness about them. The feral pigs are being accused of carrying a nasty bacteria that can be transmitted to humans, through a variety of different ways. Not only can they transmit a nasty bacteria, but also can do damage to farmers’ crops and land that in turn affects the way that the crops are harvested and how the ecosystem changes due to the damage that these feral pigs do. Wild pigs (also known as wild hogs or feral pigs) are an Old World species and are not native to the Americas. The first wild pigs in the United States originated solely from domestic stock brought to North America by early European explorers and settlers. Many years later, Eurasian wild boar were introduced into parts of the United States for hunting purposes. In areas where domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boar were found together in the wild, interbreeding occurred. Today, many hybrid populations exist throughout the wild pig’s range. Pigs were first introduced in the 1500’s to what is now the southeastern U.S. by Spanish Explorer, Hernando DeSoto. In the centuries following European exploration and colonization of the eastern U.S., free-range livestock management practices and escapes from enclosures resulted in the establishment of wild pig populations and promoted their spread (www.wildpiginfo.msstate.edu).
Wild pigs are known carriers of at least 45 different parasites (external and internal) and diseases (bacterial and viral) that pose a threat to livestock, pets, wildlife, and in some cases, human health. The risk of being infected by one of these diseases is real: in 2007, health officials in Florida documented that 8 of 10 human cases of swine brucellosis were linked to wild pig hunting activities. Many of these diseases are transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and handling or ingestion of infected tissues. Diseases can also be transmitted indirectly through ticks or contaminated water sources. The bacteria that the feral pigs can transmit to humans is known as, Brucella Suis. The genus Brucella belongs to the {alpha}2 subdivision of the proteobacteria4. The traditional classification of Brucella species is largely based on its preferred host. Brucella suis remain a major zoonosis in the world. It is a Gram-negative bacterium. Brucella suis can transmit to human through pigs, and there are several cases showing that it can also infect wild swine. The disease it causes, brucellosis, is believed to be known to human for more than 2000 years, being first described by the Romans. In 1887, a scientist named Bruce first isolated Brucella melitensis, another species of the genus Brucella, which transmits to humans through goats, sheep and pigs (www.microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Brucella_suis). Brucellosis can be transmitted through abrasions of the skin from handling the infected animals. In U.S. it occurs more frequently via inhaling the waste product of the animal. Brucellosis causes abortions in other animals; however, in humans, it causes a variety of symptoms, such as fever, anorexia, asthenia, fatigue, arthralgias, spine and joint pain. Although the bacteria rarely attack the nervous system, neuropsychiatric symptoms such as headache and depression are often observed (www.microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Brucella_suis). In Eastern North Carolina they are experiencing this epidemic through consumption of undercooked meat. Clinical signs of brucellosis, the disease caused by the bacteria, in people are fairly non-specific and include persistent flu-like symptoms. The bacteria can also spread in pig populations, causing abortions in affected swine (www.sciencedaily.com). In North Carolina there are many ways to avoid this disease, such as, do not make contact with feral pigs first and foremost. If you do come in contact with these feral pigs, it is very important to wash your hands thoroughly with hot water. Also, if you are going to consume feral pig meat, make sure that it is prepared properly. The best thing to do when you see a feral pig is stay far away. Not only do feral pigs pose a negative health threat to the human population in Eastern North Carolina, but they also pose negative threats on farmers and their crops. Feral pigs can be destructive to the environment and can out-compete native animals. They dig, root and tear up crop lands; eat just about anything; and can spread disease to other farm animals (www.sciencedaily.com). By these feral pigs digging and tearing up farm land they are posing a big threat on the profit that a farmer can make on his crops. The more crops that the feral pigs destroy, the less crops that the farmers have to sell, which in turn, means less profit that the farmer can make or the price for the crops increase so the farmers can make a profit. Also the feral pigs are making it hard for the crops in Eastern North Carolina to stay at an affordable price for the consumers due to the supply and demand of the people. The big thing about the feral pigs is that they do consume just about anything, which makes them omnivores. With them being omnivores they do not hesitate to eat anything and everything. This reason makes it hard to keep feral pigs out of gardens and flower beds. Brucella suis can be transmitted among pig populations when pigs ingest infected tissue or fluids. Direct contact with infected pigs or ingestion of contaminated food and water could cause currently uninfected pig populations to become infected (www.sciencedaily.com). The less that the human population comes into contact with these nasty creatures, the better. "The biggest public-health risk is to pork processors and hunters who field dress feral pigs. Although cases of brucellosis are rare in the United States, people need to understand the clinical signs -- like intermittent fevers and persistent headaches -- and go to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment if they have these flu-like symptoms (qtd, Dr. Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf, www.sciencedaily.com)”. The most important thing that people in eastern North Carolina need to know about feral pigs is that if you come into contact with them, you need to get medical attention right away just to make sure that no bacteria or diseases have been transmitted. If no contact has been made with the feral pigs, but you have spotted feral pigs, you need to call your nearest wildlife game warden immediately to inform them so maybe they can stop the feral pigs from passing on bacteria and disease to other human beings. In conclusion, feral pigs are not something to play around with and should be taken seriously. The rising amounts of feral pigs in Eastern North Carolina are a big issue that needs not to go unnoticed. The feral pigs are dangerous and can cause life-threatening diseases. Feeding feral pigs is not recommended and shooting them is appropriate if not inside city limits. Something that started out so innocent, just a pig that escaped from captivity, has turned into an ongoing issue that will not be stopped without the help from elected officials and the general public of Eastern North Carolina.

References

Mark, R., Sandfoss (2012). Feral Pigs Can Carry Nasty Bacteria That Can Be Transmitted to People[Online]. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 10 July 2012: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411131913.htm Kathy Jacobs (2012). History of Wild Pigs [Online].
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 10 July 2012: http://wildpiginfo.msstate.edu/history-wild-pigs.html Webster’s Online Dictionary (2012). Definition of: Feral Pig [Online].
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 10 July 2012: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/feral+pig?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744%3Av0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=feral+pig&sa=Search#906 Kenyon College (2012). About Brucella suis [Online].
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 10 July 2012: http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Brucella_suis

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