UK Pandemic warning…as first ever UK case of "ReverseZoonosis" as Human Flu found in factory-farmed pig

The Green Britain Foundation, founded by Dale Vince, has uncovered a groundbreaking health revelation: the human seasonal flu virus (H3N2) has been detected in a UK pig for the first time. This marks the first recorded case of "reverse zoonosis" in the UK, where a pathogen is transmitted from humans to animals. The finding was buried within government surveillance documents from a Northern Ireland pig farm.

This discovery raises significant concerns about zoonotic and reverse zoonotic disease risks, as the affected farm also reported swine flu among its pigs. Similar human-to-pig transmissions have been documented in the United States, but this critical UK case had not been publicly highlighted until now. The Covid-19 pandemic serves as a stark reminder of how zoonotic diseases—arising from our farming choices—can create massive public health crises.

The story has been picked up by the Daily Mirror, read the full article in the link below

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/uk-pandemic-warning-first-case-31365981

Dale issued a stark warning:

“These zoonotic diseases are a direct result of how we treat animals—particularly in factory farming systems where animals are kept in overcrowded and stressful conditions that act as breeding grounds for disease. Reducing meat consumption and transitioning to sustainable farming practices are not just ethical imperatives—they’re essential for protecting public health, safeguarding our planet.”

Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, Andrew Knight, emphasised the risks posed by intensive farming practices, linking them directly to this case:

"Intensive pig and poultry farms crowd vast numbers of stressed animals in close proximity, often in conditions of very poor hygiene. If someone wanted to create ideal conditions for rapid transmission of disease, they could hardly do better. It’s no wonder influenza keeps breaking out within intensively farmed poultry flocks, with evidence of transmission to humans. And now we also have a pig infected by a human.

Influenza has killed more people in history than any other disease outbreak... intensive pig and poultry farms are ticking timebombs from which the next outbreak may very well arise. For the sake of human and animal health and welfare, they should be closed."

The Green Britain Foundation is calling for urgent measures to address the risks posed by factory farming. These include phasing out factory farming entirely, reducing meat consumption, and transitioning to sustainable, humane farming systems. The Foundation highlights that factory farming is not only a breeding ground for zoonotic diseases but also a major contributor to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

By overhauling food production systems, society can tackle interconnected crises: public health risks from zoonotic diseases, animal welfare concerns, and the escalating climate emergency.

The Green Britain Foundation opposes factory farming because it represents multiple threats:

• Public Health Risks: Factory farming facilitates zoonotic disease like swine flu, bird flu, Covid-19, and now reverse zoonosis with H3N2—a clear danger for future pandemics.

• Dietary Health Risks: Overproduction of cheap meat drives excessive consumption linked to chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancers and obesity while displacing healthier food systems.

• Wildlife Decline: Factory farming destroys ecosystems and habitats critical for wildlife survival through deforestation and land-use changes for feed crops and grazing.

• Climate Crisis: Industrial animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss—key drivers of global warming.

This case highlights the critical need for ongoing surveillance of flu viruses capable of crossing species barriers—and serves as a stark reminder of how factory farming practices endanger human health, animal welfare, and the environment.

Background: The human to pig flu story is buried on pg. 17 of the Animal & Plant Health Agency – Great Britain Pig Quarterly report - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a491fabaccec3af36b3c1c/FINAL_Quarterly-GB-pig-disease-surveillance-emerging-threats-report-July-Sept-2024.pdf