Dozens of students participate in a variety of 4-H events at both the Berrien and Cass county fairs every July and August.

Most of these events require that a student spend hours upon hours with each of their animals. They groom them, feed them, care for them and practice showing them.

One thing most people do not expect is for one of these animals to get them sick, but that is exactly what happened at a county just east of Lansing last week.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported this past week that the Influenza A (H1N2)v was identified in multiple fairgoers at the Fowlerville Family Fair, according to a press release from the health department. This happened after the fairgoers were exposed to swine at the fair, which is located in Livingston County, east of Lansing. It is also reported that multiple swine tested positive for what is commonly known as swine flu at the same fair.

“We are urging those who visited the swine barn at the Fowlerville Fair to monitor their health and follow up with their healthcare provider if they start feeling ill,” said Dr. Eden Wells, MDHHS chief medical executive. “It can take up to 10 days for symptoms to appear and some individuals can develop serious complications.”

This is one of the first cases of Influenza A (H1N2)v this year according to the MDHHS.

Representatives of both the Cass and Berrien county fairs said that they do not believe that a person has ever gotten influenza from swine at one of their annual fairs, but both acknowledged that they have experienced pigs getting sick in past years. That is why they take the necessary precautions to ensure that does not happen again.

“The big thing that we started doing a couple of years ago at the recommendation of different veterinarians is we make the pigs come in and we actually vaccinate them for the flu every year and try to limit the risk of pigs spreading it to humans,” said Matt Asmus, the swine barn superintendent at the Cass County Fair.

The Berrien County Fair, which officially opened today, takes the same precautions. Both fairs also allow swine owners to get their pigs vaccinated independently as long as they have proof of doing so.

The fair representatives also said that it is important to keep pigs as comfortable as possible while the animals are at the fair.

“Then when it comes to fair time, we try to do everything we can to mitigate any type of added or undue stress on the pigs,” Asmus said. “We’re fortunate at the Cass County Fair to have a really nice wash rack, where people can take their pigs if they get overheated, wash them off, cool them down and get them back to their pen.”

Stressed pigs are more likely to become sick, said Asmus, which is also the case for humans.

“Our main thing is keeping the animals healthy,” said Karen Klug with the Berrien County Youth Fair. “But that also helps keep the kids healthy.”

Swine flu symptoms are similar to the seasonal flu, and is generally not life threatening unless the disease infects people with weakened immune systems.

Fairgoers are instructed to always wash their hands after visiting animal barns and to never eat food directly after touching any of the animals, especially pigs.

The MDHHS request that fairgoers adhere to several additional safety precautions:

• Do not take toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, strollers or similar items into pig areas.

• Anyone who is at high risk for serious flu complications and is planning to attend a fair should avoid pigs and swine barns.

• Fairgoers should avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.

• Visitors should also avoid contact with pigs if they have flu-like symptoms.

• Individuals who are sick should stay home from work or school until their illness is over.

• People should also avoid close contact with sick people.

• People should cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and wash their hands.

In some instances, fair officials will quarantine pigs and other animals, but Asmus said that is a precaution that fair officials prefer not to take.

“It’s the county fair, so people want to touch animals… and we don’t want to scare them away,” Asmus said. “Some of these kids are coming in from town and it’s the only chance they get to see livestock or animals up close and personal, so we don’t want to forbid [them from seeing the animals]. We want them to still have contact if they choose to.”