The Bali Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry (Disnakeswan) is testing and checking pigs on the island to ensure livestock are free of streptococcal meningitis after a bout of the bacterial infection apparently affected a village in Tabanan and has been appearing in Badung.
Streptococcus suis infection, a kind of bacteria that pigs are a reservoir for, commonly presents as meningitis with fever.
“We will do everything and are ready to go, for those who are asking,” Bali Disnakeswan head Putu Sumantra said in Denpasar on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara Bali.
“By taking blood samples, we’ll already know the results in three to four days,” said Sumantra.
After testing is done, farmers can be confident that their livestock are streptococcal-meningitis free, says Sumantra. However, because of the large amount of farms with pigs in Bali and personnel limitations, he says they will be visiting farms upon request.
Pigs infected lose their appetites and are prone to seizures, but can be treated with antibiotics and need to be quarantined, according to Disnakeswan.
On the other hand, Sumantra urges people not to be afraid to eat pork and to make sure it’s properly cooked.
“If the pork is cooked until done, surely the bacteria will die and not cause people to get sick,” he said.
Making sure Bali’s pork is safe to eat is especially important ahead of the Balinese holiday Galungan which falls on April 5, when consuming pork will be a big part of festivities.
