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February, 22 2022

Bird Flu Is Back With Global Concern

Bird flu outbreak spreads rapidly

The bird flu of 2015 was the most expensive animal health disaster in U.S history and cost the government nearly $1 billion to remove and dispose of infected birds (AP news 2022).  The disaster also caused a drastic increase in price for eggs, chicken, and other bird-based products, as the supply for these products drastically decreased as more birds were killed or died to the outbreak (AP News 2022).  Although the bird flu has not been prevalent in recent years, current outbreaks causing the death or forced killing of over 100 thousand turkeys in the past 3 days to raise serious concerns for both government officials and farms alike who fear a repeat of 2015 (IndyStar 2022).  In order to prevent a widespread national outbreak, SteraMist should be implemented into current bird farms and provide protection against the resilient bird flu.

The power to stop the pattern.

Currently, the bird flu virus typically spreads from “wild bird droppings [that are] carried into commercial flocks on the feet of workers or on equipment”, therefore it is essential that proper disinfection occurs for both equipment and clothing to slow or stop the spread of the virus (AP News 2022).  We know historically that the avian influenza virus can be transmitted through contact among and with poultry and their droppings, feathers, intestines, and blood.

SteraMist technology provides state-of-the-art disinfection that has high efficacy against varying microbials and can achieve a high log kill in an efficient manner.  With a limited aeration time, SteraMist can protect bird farms from the current outbreak without initiating an extended shutdown time.  Furthermore, SteraMist is non-corrosive and has enhanced material compatibility, allowing it to be used on the technology and equipment implemented in bird farms without fear of damage.

SteraMist disinfection used to stop the spread of the bird flu.

As demonstrated, SteraMist can be an effective tool in combatting the bird flu outbreak and can be the difference between repeating 2015 and overcoming the outbreak.  Although viruses and other microbials can often be unpredictable in when they will cause disasters, one thing that is predictable is the effectiveness and protection SteraMist provides.  Rather than cull the birds, spray the affected area with SteraMist.

Bibliography 

Bowman, Sarah. “Bird Flu Hits Third Indiana Farm: More than 103,000 Turkeys Now Killed Because of Virus.” The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis Star, February 17, 2022. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/environment/2022/02/17/turkeys-killed-bird-flu-indiana-farms-outbreak/6832786001/.  

Pitt, David. “US Bird Flu Case Puts Chicken, Turkey Farms on High Alert.” AP NEWS. Associated Press, February 15, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-and-nature-iowa-agriculture-9245d97453568576bd0b564f9c52c343.