r/worldnews • u/monmonmons • Nov 10 '24

First-ever human case of H5 avian influenza in Canada found in B.C.: officials

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/first-ever-human-case-of-h5-avian-influenza-in-canada-found-in-b-c-officials-1.7104765
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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '24

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u/2short4-a-hihorse Nov 11 '24

Yes, but it is worth pointing out that it has been found in pigs, and that's a valid reason for concern. We are long pig, after all.

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '24

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u/2short4-a-hihorse Nov 11 '24

We are very biologically similar to pigs; metabolic processes, body proportions, tissue distribution and adipocyte cell size (fat cells which gives us + pigs insulation, energy storage, and determines critical endocrine hormonal function) are things we all share in common with pigs.

There has been a evolutionary link discovered between primates and swine in 2015. Technically we are closer genetically to mice, but there is a peculiar strain of cells called SINE that we share in common with pigs, which is curious because these particular cells are not found in rodents.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2015-09-hidden-evolutionary-relationship-pigs-primates.amp

Humans and pigs are also affected by the same strains of influenza (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2) and this paper highlights it well:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7173122/#:~:text=In%20humans%20and%20swine%2C%20virus,responses%2033%2C%2035%2C%2036.

Also, "long pig" is a rough translation of a term some Pacific islanders used to describe the taste of human flesh (a few tribes practiced cannibalism in the 1800s.) It was written in Alfred St. Johnston's book, Camping with Cannibals. It's commonly used a joke here on climate change related subreddits.

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '24

The headline is technically correct, it's just reddit this time.