Editorial

Not too long ago, most of the worry about the potential for disease at fairs, livestock shows and other events centered on protecting humans.

These days, the focus also goes the other way. Protecting animals, particularly hogs, from disease is top-of-mind for many fair organizers.

Still another concern is the fact that some diseases can jump from one species of animal to another.

No matter how you look at it, the potential for disease outbreaks calls for prudence on the part of fair participants, organizers and those who attend the events.

Diseases such as E. coli O157:H7, H1N1 flu and malignant catarrhal fever are of particular concern as event organizers seek ways to keep diseases from jumping from one animal to the next. Included in that concern are people, which can also contract and spread disease.

E. coli O157:H7 has been a concern for years, because it can spread from animals to humans several ways, including contact and, theoretically, through the air. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 70,000 E. coli cases occur each year in the United States. Though many of the outbreaks can be linked directly to improperly prepared food, the cause of other outbreaks such as the one seven years ago at the Lane County, Ore., fair was never definitively identified.

Sometimes, livestock must be protected from people. H1N1 flu can jump from humans to hogs, leading veterinarians to recommend that fair organizers set up six-foot buffer zones between people and hogs. Since most aisles in fair livestock barns are nearly that wide, such measures will not require extensive or expensive modifications.

Still other diseases can jump from one species of animal to another. Ovine herpes virus 2 proved to be deadly last fall, when lambs with the disease were housed near cattle at the Puyallup Fair in Washington state. It is one of two viruses that can cause malignant catarrhal fever in cattle.

As a result, 17 show cattle died, forcing fair organizers to rethink how cattle and sheep are handled. At this spring's livestock show in Puyallup, organizers separated the sheep and cattle, and no problems were reported.

These and other outbreaks of disease are cause for concern, and for caution. The use of hand-washing stations and buffers between animals, particularly swine, and people are prudent means of protecting both the public and livestock.

These steps, if followed, will help prevent disease outbreaks that are costly to humans, livestock and, as importantly, the public's confidence.