To suggest that this must be an act of bioterror is to be in denial of how nature operates. It is perfectly natural for pigs to be infected by influenza viruses that also use birds and humans as hosts. The nature of orthomyxoviruses (flu viruses) means that there are 8 parts that make the genome whole.


A pig can be simultaneously infected by two different influenza viruses. This is not unusual. Each virus has its own 8 different genome parts. Reassortment means those 8 different parts are assembled into new viruses in new combinations. Think of it like if you have 8 cards (ace to seven) that are hearts (a hearts virus) thrown in a pile with the same cards that are clubs (clubs virus). You need to have the 8 different cards to make the virus that will get out and infect other cells, but you randomly pick hearts or clubs to make up the new set of 8. This is the newly reassorted virus and it is a mixture of pig, bird and human viruses.


Please point me to published information about the British government releasing a bioengineered strain of FMD so I can debunk it for you. I worked at the government research lab that conducted testing of clinical samples from farms during the outbreak 2001, and I can assure you that nobody in their right mind would do that intentionally as a government strategy. That cost tax payers a huge amount of money (for the slaughter, biosecurity measures and compensation for the farmers) with absolutely no benefit to the country. I know there was a more recent outbreak, and I believe that the source was suspected to be (edited) a containment problem at a facility (owing to the age of the facility and possibly some human error, last I read) and not to any deliberate release.