Avian Bird Flu Virus

Avian flu never seems to be out of our news headlines; it hit Britain for the first time in April 2006 when the deadly H5N1 was found in a dead swan in Scotland.

It has already killed millions of birds, and experts fear the virus could mutate at some point in the future and trigger a lethal human flu pandemic. Therefore it is more important than ever for poultry farms all over the world to take up strict cleaning procedures to combat the spread of the virus.

Virusolve+ is a leading product in the war against avian flu, as tests have proven it to be greater than 99.97 per cent effective in containing and eradicating the virus.

Despite the uncertainties, poultry experts agree that immediate culling of infected and exposed birds is the first line of defence for both the protection of human health and the reduction of further losses in the agricultural sector. However, culling must be carried out in a way that protects workers from exposures to avian influenza virus and therefore reduces the likelihood of illness or gene swapping or mutation.

Exposure to birds and their faeces or dust contaminated with faeces has been associated with human infection; however this is a rare occurrence. The following summarises the recommendations that have been developed by the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) because human infections have occurred in Asia during the current poultry epidemic:

1. All persons who have been in close contact with the infected animals, contact with contaminated surfaces, or after removing gloves, should wash their hands frequently. Hand hygiene should consist of washing with Virusolve and water for 15-20 seconds or sanitised with Softalind.

2. All workers involved in the culling, transport, or disposal of avian influenza-infected poultry should be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment: