New Delhi: Declaration of swine flu as pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has rung alarm bells in North-East India which has nearly one-fourth of the total pig population in the country and consumption of pork is fairly common. Although experts and scientists have opined that well-cooked pork can cause no harm, other factors related to the dreaded swine flu infection has created concern. So much so that Union Health Minister Ghulam Navi Azad had shot off letters to all Chief Ministers including those of the North-East to take special care to prevent spread of the deadly infection. India has reported as many as 31 cases of swine flu and the number is increasing. The 2009 flu outbreak is due to a new strain of subtype H1N1 not previously reported in pigs. Following this authorities in the N-E region have taken up measures against the spread of swine flu, besides banning import of pigs and pork products from adjoining countries. So far, there is no case of influenza A (H1N1) infection reported in the region including Meghalaya but the states has banned import of pigs and pork products from neighbouring countries- Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China. Sale of pork in the region has already come down after swine flu cases were reported in the country. The state governments have launched a massive awareness campaign about swine flu as a substantial number of people in the region rear pigs and consume pork, a possible source of the deadly disease. Influenza is quite common in pigs, with about half of breeding pigs having been exposed to the virus. The main route of transmission is through direct contact between infected and uninfected animals. These close contacts are particularly common during animal transport. Intensive farming may also increase the risk of transmission, as the pigs are raised in very close proximity to each other. The direct transfer of the virus probably occurs either by pigs touching noses, or through dried mucus. In the N-E, pigs are bred mostly in the backyards, and considering the unhygienic conditions there is considerable cause for alarm. Airborne transmission through the aerosols produced by pigs coughing or sneezing is also an important means of infection. The virus usually spreads quickly through a herd, infecting all the pigs within just a few days. Interestingly, like bird flu, transmission may also occur through wild animals, such as wild boar abundantly found in the N-E which can spread the disease among the livestock. People who work with poultry and swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at increased risk. Pigs can also become hosts where influenza viruses might exchange genes, producing new and dangerous strains, studies have shown.