Disinfectant testing services at the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), Pirbright

Statutory Disinfectant Testing

Veterinary disinfectants play an essential part in the prevention and control of endemic epizootic animal diseases. In the United Kingdom and its devolved administrations only approved disinfectants can be used where required in the Animal Health Act 1981 and in orders issued under the act. The Approval Process is regulated through The Diseases of Animals (Approved Disinfectants) (England) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/448) and parallel statutory instruments in the devolved administrations. The IAH Pirbright Laboratory offers efficacy testing for disinfectants against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV).
The standard DEFRA test is a disinfectant suspension test where dilutions of the disinfectant under test are made in W.H.O hard water with or without protein soiling. To these dilutions FMDV or SVDV is added as required and the test mixture will be held at 4°C for 30 minutes. Residual virus infectivity is detected and quantified by inoculating serial dilutions of the test mixtures onto cell culture. Disinfectants under test will be deemed efficacious if the virus titre is reduced by at least 10⁴ (4 logs) in the test. Manufacturers of disinfectants seeking official DEFRA approval for their product under The Diseases of Animals (Approved Disinfectants) (England) Order 2007 should submit their products to DEFRA Disinfectants Approvals who will forward product for testing against FMDV and SVDV to IAH.

Independent Commercial Disinfectant Testing

IAH also offers a disinfectant testing service to UK and international clients developing disinfectants against animal viruses. Here certain parameters can be adapted depending on the client requirements and a range finder assay is offered, where up to five different dilutions of the disinfectant under test can be evaluated to determine the optimal dilution effective against FMDV or SVDV. All laboratory work carried out will be compliant to ISO 9001 standards and disinfectant testing is normally completed within a three month period.

Requests for independent disinfectant testing services (non-statutory) should be made to our Disinfectant Testing Laboratory accompanied by the submission form .

For further information, enquiries and pricing please contact;

Disinfectant Testing Laboratory,
Institute for Animal Health,
Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0NF, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 231064
Email: iah.disinfectants@bbsrc.ac.uk