H5N1 and chlorination [Effect Measure]

Published: September 7, 2007, 8:52 am

There's a lot to know about influenza that we don't know. Unfortunately a lot of is things you thought we knew but don't. Like whether there is a risk from influenza virus in drinking water. Admittedly this hasn't been at the top of the list for seasonal flu, since the main reservoir for this virus is other people and that's who you catch it from. But with avian viruses there is the problem of aquatic birds (the main reservoir in the wild) shedding virus into ocean littorals and surface waters, including drinking water reservoirs. In addition, agricultural run-off, including fecal waste from large poultry operations, can contaminate surface and groundwaters with virus. So it's something to think about. It would be nice if we knew that current and conventional methods of water treatment inactivated highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It would be one less thing to worry about. If we knew it. Viruses can vary widely in their sensitivity to chlorine. Unfortuantely until just

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