Antimicrobial Products That U.s. Poultry Farmers Should Be Aware Of
August 29th, 2008

Bird flu is a hot topic. If you turn on the news or read the paper, chances are, you will come across at least one article or story about the bird flu. Currently, bird flu most affects areas where people live or work in very close proximity to poultry and birds. However, those in the United States that work closely with birds, should be aware of bird flu and the problems that arise from the disease. The key is to take a proactive approach to the spread of this very real and dangerous disease.

Some strains of bird flu can and has been known to cause death. As of now, there are no known cures or vaccines to protect people from this disease. The biggest way to prevent fatal cases of the bird flu is to stay informed and practice prevention. This means that if you come in close contact with any type of birds, you should always practice good hygiene and use whatever antimicrobial products are available to you.

What is an antimicrobial product? These products are substances or chemicals that have the ability to depress or completely destroy harmful bacteria and microorganisms. These products are available in a wide variety of forms including sprays, powders, liquids, and even gases. These products often contain a mixture of many substances and are used effectively in areas where harmful bacteria and viruses are known to exist. For farmers and others that work closely with animals and birds, this is good news. These products are used to slow the growth of these harmful microorganisms, and do away with them. In addition, using these products can help protect surfaces such as walls, floors and counters from spreading the harmful bacteria. Unless the product is marketed as an antimicrobial product, it should not be used as such.

The difficulty in the battle that some people have with using antimicrobial products comes from the fact that two previously parallel theories are seen to be found. First of all, some people believe that the improper usage of antibiotics in human medicine has been a factor in the increasing number of human health problems in regards to antimicrobial resistance. The second belief is that the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, as well as the increasing acknowledgment that this practice donates to antimicrobial opposition in both animal and human pathogens.

There are a number of JohnsonDiversey’s hard surface disinfectant products that are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or registered or approved in European countries or by other appropriate agencies that have been named as being effective against the avian flu. However, since there is not an approved testing measure for antiviral claims, hand care products and food contact sanitizer products are not labeled with detailed antiviral claims.

EPA registers pesticide products, as well as disinfectants. At this time, there are more than 90 avian flu products available for use on hard, non-porous surfaces. Individuals who work with poultry normally use these products to disinfect their amenities. The label on the product will specify if it is useful in combating against "avian influenza A". It will also identify the sites (e.g., poultry houses and farm premises) for using the product to eliminate or inactivate the avian influenza virus.

Even though there are not any antimicrobial products registered exclusively against the H5N1 subtype of avian influenza A virus, EPA deems that the presently registered avian influenza A products will be efficient against the H5N1 strain and other strains. Their beliefs are based on scientific information. If you are looking for more information, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers direction for the disinfections of poultry facilities.

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