Loam was talking about the possibility that bird feathers could spread the disease and so I wondered how long the lifespan of the virus is and what
other methods could bring the disease into western countries.
It can live in air for up to
five days:
The virus has a lifespan of 4-5 days only in air, and can travel a distance of up to 2-3 km. The virus gets killed at temperatures above 56 deg
C. It is highly susceptible to disinfectants containing detergents, Iodine, and pH below 5.
It can be transported via contaminated feathers:
Poultry meat from the country has been banned, but BBC Radio 4's Farming Today reported that duck, chicken and turkey feathers were still
being imported.
Professor Hugh Pennington said the virus could survive in faecal material on the feathers, some of which are used in making pillows.
Migratory birds could be carriers and spread the virus through droppings:
Wild birds shed the virus. Infected migratory waterfowl, the natural carriers of bird flu viruses, shed the virus in their droppings, saliva
and nasal secretions.
and feed, water or soil:
Domestic poultry become infected from contact with these birds or with contaminated water, feed or soil. They may also catch the disease the
same way humans contract conventional flu — by inhaling the airborne virus.
and crowded and/or unsanitary conditions:
Open-air markets, where eggs and birds are often sold in crowded and unsanitary conditions, are hotbeds of infection and spread the disease
into the wider community. Cock fighting, rampant throughout much of Asia, has also been implicated in the spread of bird flu
How disease is spread and how to stop it:
www.mayoclinic.com...
[edit on 30-9-2005 by DontTreadOnMe]
