Sunday S. Nunayon, Kathleen Glover, Mingyang Xu, L. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and ventilation for avian influenza control in poultry farms: A comprehensive review. Journal of Hazardous Materials
The poultry industry faces persistent threats from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), whose airborne transmission in enclosed barns is exacerbated by high stocking densities, fluctuating humidity, and inadequate ventilation. This review synthesizes current evidence on ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) and mechanical ventilation as complementary engineering controls for mitigating infection risks in poultry environments. A systematic search of Web of Science and Google Scholar identified 45 peer-reviewed studies addressing environmental, technological, and medical strategies for influenza control. Analysis of collected UVGI data revealed high susceptibility of influenza to ultraviolet exposure, with reported inactivation rate constants ranging from 0.003 to 2.18 m2/J. Based on ventilation literature, tunnel and hybrid systems are associated with improved air quality and lower modelled infection risks. Integrating UVGI with mechanical ventilation may offer complementary benefits: UVGI inactivates pathogens that ventilation alone cannot fully remove, while ventilation regulates humidity and reduces aerosol residence time, thereby improving UVGI performance. This integrated framework may enhance biosecurity, animal welfare, and productivity, providing a potential complement to vaccines and antivirals that are often challenged by rapid viral mutation. In contrast to conventional buildings, however, it is important to emphasize that poultry houses are typically characterized by elevated bioaerosol loads, animal-derived emission sources, constrained ventilation control, high population density, complex layouts, high chicken mobility, and proximity between chickens, resulting in fundamentally different requirements for UVGI–ventilation implementation. The review identifies key research gaps, including the need for full-scale validation, optimization under variable climates, and development of more robust infection control systems.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Modeling Airborne Influenza in Three Dimensions 2 days ago
- Increased contact transmission of contemporary Human H5N1 compared to Bovine and Mountain Lion H5N1 in a hamster model 2 days ago
- Immunity to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase results in additive reductions in airborne transmission of influenza H1N1 virus in ferrets 2 days ago
- A modelling exploration of potential spatiotemporal risk of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus introduction to Danish dairy herds through the contaminated environment 2 days ago
- Emergence of a novel H4N6 avian influenza virus with mammalian adaptation isolated from migratory birds in Zhejiang Province, China, 2024 2 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]


