DISINFECTANT INFORMATION

We recommend the use of Nolvasan (chlorhexidine diacetate) as a cage, accessories and surface disinfectant for birds because:

Bleach solution (1/2-cup household bleach per gallon of water) is recommended and frequently used in veterinary offices. It is cheap, and it is one of the few disinfectants effective against the highly infectious canine parvovirus. It is also dangerous when used in closed spaces due to the toxic fumes. When mixed with ammonia, it creates a new, also highly toxic, substance.

Most people are not aware of the fact that their household dishwashing soaps and other cleaners contain ammonia - the ingredient may or may not appear in the fine print on the back of the product container. If you use such a product, and fail to rinse the enclosure surfaces thoroughly, or even forget to thoroughly rinse the residues out of the sink and bathtub before rinsing off items that have been sprayed or soaking in a bleach solution, you could make yourself or your animals quite ill as the bleach in the disinfectant solution you made comes into contact with the ammonia product in your sink or tub or any such residues left in the enclosure, on water bowls, etc. when you apply the bleach disinfectant solution.

Any product, used in correctly, is potentially dangerous. Applied full strength to the eyes or respiratory tract, Nolvasan is toxic. However, the only time you should be handling it full strength is when measuring out enough Nolvasan to mix a new gallon of dilute solution.

Disinfectants Useful around Birds.

As part of the comprehensive therapeutic plan, the breeder should make recommendations concerning the hygiene of the bird's environment. Improper sanitation, including inadequate disinfecting, is commonly associated with health problems. The breeder needs to stress to the owner the importance of proper disinfecting and not merely cleaning.

Cleaning refers to the physical removal of organic debris. This reduces exposure to potential pathogens. Soap products are commonly used for cleaning, as they help penetrate and break up stubborn materials. Liquid dish detergent diluted in warm water is an example of a good cleaning agent. However, soap residues can inactivate some disinfectants. "Disinfectant" is a term that is usually applied to a chemical or physical agent that kills vegetative forms of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Disinfectants will not sterilize a surface but will reduce pathogen numbers more dramatically than cleaners.

There are live main groups of disinfectants used with birds:

Regardless of the product used, for adequate disinfecting to occur most manufacturers recommend a contact time of 20 minutes. While this may be impractical for large cages, water dishes and cage furniture may be soaked and then well rinsed. Large enclosures can be sprayed with an appropriate dilution of the disinfectant, which is then rinsed well after the appropriate contact time. Some soap residues can partially inactivate disinfectants such as the quaternary ammonium products, so a thorough rinsing after cleaning is imperative. All birds are sensitive to these agents and special attention has to he paid to the rinsing process. Cutaneous absorption of these products could prove to he fatal. Some containers used in animal housing are not totally impervious to these products. Plastic tends to retain some of the cleaning agents and disinfectants. At the National Aquarium in Baltimore, povidone-iodine was implicated in the deaths of some poison dart frogs. If a chlorine product is used then a de-chlorinating agent should be added to the rinse water. A thorough rinsing of both the cleaning agents and disinfectants is important to prevent accidental absorption via residues, to limit contact irritants, and to remove odors that could harm the respiratory system of the cage occupant.

Quaternary ammonium products like Roccal-D are very useful and easy to use. Roccal-D is fairly harsh to skin and prolonged contact is to be avoided. Despite rumors to the contrary, Roccal-D has not been shown to be carcinogenic. All cleaning agents used prior to using the disinfectant must be rinsed well or some inactivation of the product may occur.

Chlorhexidine products are less harsh and are more commonly used. These products are often combined with cleansing agents (e.g., Nolvasan scrub), but this would he a fairly expensive product to use for general cleaning/disinfecting. It is more reasonable to use a good cleaning agent, rinse well, and then apply the Chlorhexidine (1%) as a spray; which is ultimately rinsed. This will work equally well for cages, cage furniture, and water dishes.

Povidone-iodine products can also he combined with cleansing agents to produce surgical scrub solutions. These products may penetrate some plastics and should be used with caution in sensitive birds. Staining of containers can also occur. The povidone-iodine products are effective for resistant organisms such as Entamoeba spp., although true sterilization is preferred.

Ammonia products are irritating to skin and the respiratory, tract and are infrequently used. However, ammonia-based products in a 5% solution are perhaps the agent of choice for Cryptosporidia spp., which are extremely resistant to disinfecting. Mycobacterium spp. are also resistant to most disinfectants, and true sterilization may be required to control these pathogens.

Perhaps the most frequently used cleaning/disinfecting combination used by veterinarians is bleach with soap product, made popular owing to the resistance of canine parvovirus. One ounce (30 ml) of household chlorine bleach is combined with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of a soap product like Palmolive or Dawn dish detergent in 1 quart of water. Because of the low cost of this mixture, new batches should he mixed with each cleaning/disinfecting job. While good results are obtained, this mixture is also irritating to the skin and respiratory system. Chlorine bleach must never be combined with ammonia owing to the potential production of poisonous chlorine gases.

Each breeder must make his or her own choice based on preference of the products mentioned. Products already in use in the veterinary clinic can be adapted for use with birds. Clients should be encouraged to use similar products, but their use must he thoroughly discussed with them if recommended. A handout on cleaning and disinfecting techniques may prove to be useful.

Disinfectants are chemicals that kill or inactivate microbial organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi. There are a large number of different types on the market. I will not try to discuss all of the various ones, instead I intend to cover a few of the most appropriate ones available and when to use them.

First, it is important to understand that no disinfecting program can replace proper aviary design; which includes quarantine facilities for new birds, prevention of cross contamination between cages, and wholesome food and water sources.

Disinfectants are not intended to replace routine cleaning, either. Deeping the aviary cleaned up on a daily basis is far more effective in preventing infections. Indoor aviaries must keep the air free of dust and fumes using exhaust fans and air filters.

How often should we disinfect the aviary? There is certainly a lot of controversy as to when or how often it is necessary to use a disinfectant. Everything that follows is my opinion, and not backed up by solid research data. First, I do not think there is any reason to use any disinfectant routinely in a private home that has a few birds in a relatively closed collection. I would actually recommend against using a disinfectant in this situation for two reasons. First, a reasonable exposure to bacteria and viruses is healthy for the proper functioning of the immune system. Second, disinfectants are detrimental to the environment. They are toxic to animal and plant life and tend to produce microbes that become resistant to them.

Appropriate use of disinfectants are beneficial to us all, and their use, when needed, far outweighs any potential environmental effects. They should be routinely employed in aviary collections and in homes that have potential for pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria to be introduced. The would include people that work with lots of birds, like myself, and when new birds come into homes.

The best time to use a disinfectant is in cleaning fomites. A fomite is anything that can carry a microbe to a susceptible individual. Good examples include hands, clothes, shoes, food and water bowls, food-processing surfaces, feeding syringes and the like. Before a disinfectant is used, washing with soap and water is required. In fact, you can expect to remove 95% of all microbes through adequate washing. Automatic dishwashers are extremely effective in cleaning cups, again far better than just disinfecting them without thorough cleaning prior to the distinction.

Don't forget to wash your own hands, either. Numerous studies in hospitals have confirmed the fact that simply washing your hands frequently will be exceptionally effective in preventing infections.

If one is experiencing a problem with infections, then they should use a good disinfectant to clean everything. This should be done every other day. Wholesale and retail stores, aviaries that have a constant flow of birds in and out (by constant, I mean a new bird every month or so), and facilities that have construction problems (e.g., carpet floors, cages next to or on top of each other) should use disinfectants routinely.

Disinfectants are only effective when used properly. This means, among other things, correctly diluting the stock solution and then leaving the disinfectant in contact with the surface to be disinfected for a period of time. This "contact time" varies by the disinfectant but usually is from 5-10 minutes. Without adequate contact time, no disinfectant will work.

TYPES OF DISINFECTANTS

Good disinfectants include chlorine (bleach), Roccal, Wavicide, Betadine, Nolvasan, and a multitude of others.

Commonly used "disinfectants" that are not good include Lysol, hydrogen peroxide, and most of the grocery store bought household disinfectants that are intended to clean up kitchens and bathrooms.

CHLORINE (regular household bleach) is a very effective disinfectant, and one of the few that can kill protozoans such as giardia. It should be used in a dilution of 1 part bleach to 32 parts water. It must stay in contact for about 10 minutes to assure disinfecting. It is the least expensive disinfectant available. There are two major problems with chlorine. It is harmful to the respiratory system to a certain degree, so it must be used with adequate ventilation. More serious for most people is that it is very corrosive to metal surfaces. Routine use of chlorine will seriously decrease the life expectancy of metal cages and cups.

CHLORHEXADINE (Nolvasan) is one of the best products to use routinely. Although more expensive than chlorine, it does not harm metal surfaces and is very safe for your birds. When applied, it must remain in contact for about 5 minutes. It is not effective against giardia, and does not work well against some viruses and bacteria (e.g. pseudomonas). It is particularly good to be used when disinfecting bedding, syringes, bowls, and food processing equipment.

FORMALDEHYDE PRODUCTS, such as Wavicide, are the most effective products, and can even kill bacterial spores, which are often resistant to other products. They are very effective against viruses and bacteria that are often resistant to other products. Their use is limited, however, because they are extremely toxic to birds, either when ingested or inhaled. I recommend that their use be limited to situations when other products are known to be ineffective (e.g., chronic pseudomonas infections).

QUARTEMMY AMMONIUM compounds are excellent for routine use. A typical product is called Roccal-D. Roccal is intended to be a one step clean and disinfectant product. Thus its major advantage is that you do not need to clean the surface prior to disinfecting. After cleaning and disinfecting with Roccal, you must thoroughly rinse the surface, since this product is toxic to birds. It is also fairly harsh to your hands when used habitually. It tends to be more effective than Nolvasan, and is a good one step clean and disinfecting product.

The most effective disinfectants are usually very toxic to birds and people. They tend to be highly corrosive as well. One such product is called One Stroke Environ. It cleans and disinfects with one application, but must be throroughly rinsed from any surface a bird comes in contact with. It must be used with good ventilation as well.

I recommend that for routine use, chlorine or Nolvasan is adequate. For resistant bacteria and chronic problems, use Wavicide or a similar product. When dealing with a severe problem, such as an epidemic outbreak, floors and walls can be disinfected with a product such as One Stroke.

Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Pet Product News

Use Browser BACK Button

Pretty Birds: Copyright © 1997: Last Modified 07/29/00: Copyright Law and International Treaties protect these Web Site Pages. Warning: Reproduction or Distribution of these images, program, text or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.