Effect of composting on the viability of Avian influenza virus in chicken manure

Avian Influenza is a viral disease that generates high mortality and morbidity in poultry, particularly chicken. Since the first report in 2003, this disease has spread almost in all provinces in Indonesia. One of the spreading factors is the transportation of contaminated manure for agricultural purposes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of composting on the viability of avian influenza virus H5N1 HPAI in chicken manure. For this purpose, avian influenza virus H5N1 HPAI was propagated in embryonated chicken eggs and contaminated into manure as positive control manure. The manure was treated with 4 different methods i.e., composting manure, composting manure with an effective microorganism (EM)4 compound, composting manure with a mixture of EM4 compound and rice husk as much as 5% of manure, composting manure with a mixture of EM4 compound and rice straw as much as 5% of manure, each put in a plastic bag. Each treatment was observed for the temperature and pH twice a day. Treated manure was tested by inoculating into the embryonated chicken eggs and the allantoic fluid of the eggs was tested by HA test. The viability of the virus was analyzed by the mortality of the eggs, and HA test. Results showed that all composting treatments affected the viability of the H5N1 HPAI virus. Among all composting methods, the composting chicken manure mixed with EM4 compound inactivated H5N1 HPAI virus faster than others (from day 3), followed by the composting chicken manure with a mixture of EM 4 compound and rice straw (from day 4), and the composting chicken manure with a mixture of EM 4 compound and rice husk (day 5). This indicated that composting was able to inactivate the virus, and with the proper procedure, it can be used for manure treatment.