Swine Flu in the News

On Sunday, April 26, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declared a public health emergency in an attempt to stop the spread of swine flu virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (http://www.cdc.gov), as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) website (http://www.who.int/en) are two reputable sources for up-to-date information on the swine flu.

What is swine flu?

Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness but have low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the latefall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

Is there more than one swine flu virus?

Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes), and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses, can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

How is swine flu spread?

According to the CDC, human transmission of flu occurs through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with viruses on it and then touching their mouths or noses. Guidance published by the CDC on April 24, 2009 for infection control in healthcare settings advises: "disinfection strategies used during influenza seasons can be applied to the environmental management of swine influenza." Additional guidance published on April 25, 2009 for infection control in the home recommends keeping "surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label."

Does Clean Control offer any products that are effective against swine flu?

Clean Control does not have a swine influenza claim on any of our registered disinfectants/sanitizers. The "swine flu" is a genetic reassortment of the H1N1 virus that contains elements of swine, avian, and human influenza. The good news is that influenza is an enveloped virus which actually makes it highly susceptible to quaternary disinfectants. "Swine influenza is known to be caused by an Influenza A virus, a genus of the Orthomyxoviridae family of viruses known to be susceptible to disinfectants. While members of virus families, or subtypes (for example H1N1), may express different infectious characteristics, the virus family members all share the same taxonomy, (physicochemical characteristics) that lead to susceptibility and inactivation by disinfectants. The USEPA considers all strains of Influenza A virus to have the same susceptibility to inactivation by disinfectants, or if a product can kill one strain, it can kill all. While a given EPA Registered disinfectant label may not list Swine Flu (infectious agent) specifically, if it lists Influenza A virus, it will effectively inactivate all Influenza A viruses regardless of the specific subtype."

Back in Feb 2006, EPA devoted an entire web page to Avian Flu and disinfectants with a list of products. At that time, a new strain (H5N1) had emerged that was of pandemic concern. The listed products that could make the claim (although they had not actually been specifically tested for the new (H5N1) strain) included OdoBan Concentrate Gallon, OdoBan RTU and Germ Control24 Silver Formula; as each are labeled efficacious against Influenza A/Hong Kong and Avian Influenza A.

Welcome to Clean Control Corporation

Clean Control Corporation is a premier manufacturer of high quality cleaning products, odor eliminators, disinfectants, sanitizers, deodorizers, stain removers, air fresheners and cleaning accessories.

Clean Control manufactures many cleaning solutions, including OdoBan Odor Eliminator, for Household/Retail, Commercial, Wholesale, Private Label, and Institutional & Industrial use.

Clean Control also offers an Earth Choice Line of products. Through partnership with the USEPA Design for the Environment (DfE) - Formulator Initiative, Clean Control Corporation has worked for the past several years to reformulate many of our products with a more positive environmental and human health profile. Our partnership also enables us to help companies implement an EPP cleaning products program.

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