ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF CHLORINATION AND UV IRRADIATION ON AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS (H5N2) IN WATER AND WASTEWATER

A highly pathogenic H5N1 subtype of avian influenza emerged in Hong Kong in 1997 and spread to several countries in Asia, Africa and Europe rapidly infecting wild and domestic birds. This virus also proved capable of infecting humans. In the event human to human transmission of such a virus became efficient, domestic wastewater treatment systems and drinking water treatment systems could become contaminated with virus, exacerbating the spread of disease and posing a threat to treatment plant operators and the general population. The goal of this work was to determine if the H5N2 avian influenza virus (used as a surrogate for H5N1 and hereafter referred to as “H5N2”) is inactivated by chlorination or UV radiation. Infectious H5N2 was not detected in phosphate buffer (PB) or wastewater effluent (WWE) at fluences greater than 10 mJ/cm2 and at Ct values, based on free residual chlorine, greater than 8mg·min/L.