UNCONVENTIONAL ROUTES OF INFECTION WITH BIRD FLU VIRUS.

UNCONVENTIONAL ROUTES OF INFECTION WITH THE AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS. The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has been identified as the highly pathogenic strain that also affects man and if not properly managed can result in death. There are many routes of possible infection with the bird flu virus but some subtle unconventional routes are also a major cause of concern, these include the following; 1) Visitors on farm premises. 2) Exchange of farm tools and implements with neighborhood farmers. 3) Absence of foot dips, hand dips and washing points in farms, feed mills and drug stores. 4) Absence of proper litter management. 5) Contaminated feed stuff. 6) Water pollution. 7) Lack of proper waste disposal/manure. Non restriction of visitors to farm site is a major source of spread of diseases not only avian influenza but also other diseases. Visitors moving in and out of farm site act as fomites bringing in loads of pathogenic organisms setting up a foci of infection in the farm site. 

Most visitors come through other farms thus bringing in pathogenic organism from one point to another. Visitors must be barred from farm sites to forestall introduction of pathogens.

 2) Exchange of farm tools and implements with neighborhood farms, may appear inconsequential but it’s a grave risk as pathogens are exchanged freely between farms. A simple gesture of exchange of tools is a breech on bio security protocol that must be prevented. 

 3) Absence foot dips, tyre dips and hand dips, this is a major route of infection. Many farms don’t have tyre dips, neither do they spray tyres with disinfectants, before allowing such vehicles on farm premises. The hand dips are very important, a worker that has handled contaminated matter but have refused to wash and dip hands in disinfectant solution is a ready source for spread of infection. Farmers that have dips , don’t use proven disinfectants of high potency to prevent infection. The dips with disinfectants are not replenished at regular intervals, thus making a mockery of the whole process. 

 4) litter management is very important in poultry as a lot of pathogens arise from poor litter management. Farmers don’t usually take care of their litter especially in case of wetness. 

The most important aspect of litter management is litter treatment. The litter can be treated using potent disinfectant, this can be used in the powdery forms and sprayed on litter. When turned, this will kill any incubating pathogen without any detrimental effect on birds. 

 Waste disposal/manure; waste disposal management on the farm is another point of concern, as many farmers don’t dispose their waste properly, leaving them open on farm without any form of treatment on the farm, thus allowing flies and other pathogenic organisms breed in that area causing a nucleus of infection right on the farm. Some farmers bag their waste, but still don’t treat the areas where the bags are kept which is still a point of infection. 

The farmers that bag and prepare to sell make the mistake of allowing merchants to come in to the farm with their sacks to procure manure. This is also another route of infection, as the sacks brought in may harbor pathogens. Water pollution. 

 The water source is also another point of infection, and a major route of infection. If water source or point is not well covered, allowing birds to defecate in it thus contaminating the water source. The water source must also be disinfected to ensure safety , and prevent pathogenic organisms from infecting birds and contaminating floors and drinkers.