Cleaning and disinfection of END and HPAI: which statement is correct?

• A. It is a very difficult process because these viruses are very hardy
• B. It can be accomplished with widely available disinfectants as long as organic material does not interfere
• C. It is unnecessary when organic material is present. Other surfaces must be disinfected with widely available disinfectants.
• D. It can only be accomplished with a limited number of disinfectants that are specifically made for these viruses

Answer: (B)

The central idea is that cleaning and disinfection for END and HPAI works with everyday disinfectants as long as you remove organic material first and follow product directions. Organic matter protects viruses and reduces disinfectant activity, so thorough cleaning to lift and rinse away dirt is essential before applying a disinfectant. Enveloped viruses like HPAI are generally susceptible to common disinfectants, so widely available products—when used at the correct concentrations and with adequate contact time—can inactivate them effectively. This means you don’t need a special, limited set of products to handle these viruses.

The other statements aren’t correct because they either overstate the difficulty (these viruses aren’t intrinsically “very hardy” to the point of requiring special care beyond standard practices), suggest disinfection is unnecessary in the presence of organic matter (which is precisely when cleaning is most important), or imply only products specifically made for these viruses can be used (in reality, many general disinfectants are effective when used properly).