Is the next Pandemic on the rise?

What is bird flu or Avian Influenca? 

Avian influenza is a disease caused by influenza A viruses in birds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cases of the virus have been detected worldwide since 2003. Bird flu occurs most frequently in Asia. Like the coronavirus, the influenza A virus has also made its way to Europe and the USA. Migratory birds brought the virus across the  oceans. The current dominant virus is H5N1.

How is it transmitted?

Bird flu spreads rapidly. Infected animals carry the contagious virus in all excretions and body fluids. Thus, it jumps rapidly from animal to animal. 
Transmission by "third parties" is also malicious.

Vectors can be:

• Animals that act as hosts but are not affected themselves, such as stable flies or pigs.
• People who pick up the virus from wild birds in the forest via shoes or clothing and carry it on.
• Equipment, such as tractor tires, that can carry the virus from one farm to another for miles as well as equipment which is used to clean the stable

Once outbreaks occur, avian influenza can currently only be contained with comprehensive biosecurity measures.

These are the consequences for humans

The mass death of the animals also threatens food supply for humans. In England and America, eggs were scarce at times. Those who managed to get hold of them paid enormous prices. In Germany, the traditional Christmas goose was scarce at Christmas time in 2022. Those who got a goose also had to dig deep into their pockets.

What's more, bird flu has the potential to spread to humans. There are already the first confirmed cases in Asia and the USA. We humans can become infected when we get in contact with sick animals or contaminated objects. In addition, other mammals, such as pigs, can serve as intermediate hosts. The risk of transmission to humans is currently considered low by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 

What protective measures are there?

There are various protective measures, but only a few have a sustained effect:

• birds and poultry can be vaccinated. However, the vaccine is not yet licensed in Europe. In the USA, mass vaccination of poultry is being discussed, but approved vaccines are still lacking for this as well. Moreover, the vaccination does not prevent infection, but only mitigates the course. Another problem is that consumer doesn´t want to buy meat from vaccinated animals.
• first tests show, similar to Corona quarantine measures help. However, this is only conceivable for breeders, zoos and smaller flocks. Wild birds cannot be confined.
• cleaning and disinfection of stables and their surroundings is therefore the safest and most reliable protection against avian influenza.

Tips for cleaning and disinfecting the barn

1. Clean:

Thoroughly clean the stable with a heavy-duty cleaner, such as LANXESS Biosolve^® or EWA^® FOAM ultra heavy-duty detergents. Washing with water alone reduces contamination by up-to 60%, but using a heavy-duty detergent decreases the original burden by 99%. For example, 2000 times more bacteria are left if you don’t use a suitable heavy-duty detergent. Therefore, thorough washing of all surfaces and equipment with an effective heavy-duty detergent is essential to achieve the best results from any subsequent disinfection procedure.

2. Disinfection:

After cleaning, the barn must be thoroughly disinfected. Use a disinfectant with proven efficacy enveloped viruses. Virkon^® S or Aldekol DES^® 03, from LANXESS, are particularly well suited for this purpose. The powerful peroxygen-based chemistry  of Virkon^® S’ formulation provides for a continuously evolving broad spectrum of efficacy against current and emerging disease-causing organisms with specific focus on viral pathogens such as; African Swine Fever (ASF), Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD), and specific strains of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (AI or bird flu). 

This is the only way that breeding farms can ensure that the virus is controlled and thus safeguard our food supply at the same time.