good link
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/idsa/influenza/avianflu/biofacts/avflu.html
>> * Influenza A virus remains viable at moderate temperatures for long periods in the environment and can survive indefinitely in frozen material. It can survive for 4 days in water at 22ºC and for over 30 days at 0ºC (see References: PHS).
* Recent data from studies of H5N1 in domestic ducks have shown that H5N1 can survive in the environment for 6 days at 37ºC (see References: WHO: Laboratory study of H5N1 viruses in domestic ducks: main findings).
* Inactivation of the virus occurs under the following conditions (see References: OIE 2002, PHS):
o Temperatures of 56ºC for 3 hours or 60ºC or more for 30 minutes
o Acidic pH conditions
o Presence of oxidizing agents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, lipid solvents, and B-propiolactone
o Exposure to disinfectants: formalin, iodine compounds >>
>> * Routes of bird-to-bird transmission include:
o Airborne transmission if birds are in close proximity
o Direct contact with contaminated respiratory secretions or fecal material
* Vertical transmission is not known to occur
* Other factors that contribute to spread within and between flocks include the following:
o Broken contaminated eggs in incubators infecting healthy chicks (see References: OIE 2002)
o Movement of infected birds between flocks
o Movement of fomites such as contaminated equipment, egg flats, feed trucks, and clothing and shoes of employees and service crews (see References: APHIS, Beard 1998)
o Contact with infected wild birds and waterfowl
o Fecal contamination of drinking water
o Garbage flies (suspected of transmitting the virus during the 1983-1984 epidemic in Pennsylvania) (see References: Beard 1998)
The disease is highly contagious. One gram of contaminated manure can contain enough HPAI virus to infect 1 million birds (see References: APHIS). >>
