Disinfection Procedures

Disinfection procedures for skin, clothes and equipmentInfected horses excrete huge quantities of Equine Influenza virus when they cough or sneeze. People who have been in contact with infected horses have been shown to be a source of spread.

The virus can survive on hard, non-porous surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 48 hours. It can survive on fabrics and skin for up to 12 hours or longer. It can be killed easily by cleaning and disinfection - you just need to be thorough.

When disinfecting yourself or equipment, make sure you pay extra attention to areas in the firing line of coughing, sneezing or snorting. Remove all snot and mucus!

Stables
Remember to scrub clean walls and ceilings as well as floors.
Yourself
Follow a rigorous scrub-in and scrub-out procedure when visiting horse properties, whether the horses are known to be infected or not.
Wear a protective overcoat or overalls when handling an infected horse. Single-use disposable overalls are preferable. Remove the overcoat or overalls after handling an infected horse. Discard as contaminated if disposable, otherwise launder before using again. If clothing is to be laundered, keep it on the infected property if possible. Laundering on-site reduces the risk of cross-contamination.
Blow your nose into a tissue and discard the tissue. Your own nose may be a source of contamination, so do this BEFORE you wash your hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap or detergent. That means every finger and under fingernails as well! Wash right up to the elbows and keep washing for at least two minutes.
If an infected horse snorts, coughs or sneezes in your face or hair you will need a thorough shower and hair wash (remember to blow your nose before showering and to disinfect glasses etc.).
Vehicles - trucks and floats
Remove manure and dirt from surfaces. For floats, clean walls and ceilings as well as floors.
Pay special attention to any surface that the horse can touch with its nose or which can be contaminated with snot or mucus.
Beware of bridles, feed bowls, troughs, lead ropes and twitches
This equipment can harbour snot and mucus.
Bridles should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Where possible, do not share bridles between horses and certainly don't share bridles between properties.
Feed bowls and troughs may be disinfected satisfactorily but lead ropes and rope twitches should be discarded if they have been used on an infected horse.
Recommended disinfectants for surfaces
Clean away all dirt and facial material with water and a household detergent, then spray with a disinfectant such as household bleach or citric acid. Read label directions and take recommended precautions when handling these disinfectants