The survival of infectious bronchitis (IB) virus in water

Observations on the survival of infectious bronchitis virus in 3 mains waters showed that it survived for a much shorter period in one of them which contained a relatively high content of copper (0.2 mg/1). Other factors adversely affecting survival were 5 ppm of free residual chlorine and increase in temperature over the range of 20-35 degrees C. Survival of virus was prolonged in the presence of 0.1% w/v powdered skim milk (PSM), 1,0% w/v poultry mash, 1,0% w/v fresh poultry droppings, rust and 0,01% sodium thiosulphate. In part this protection might have been against the high copper content of the water used but 0.1 % PSM protected also against the combined effect of a temperature of 35 degrees C and 5 pmm chlorine. Factors which seemed to exert relatively little effect on virus survival were the nature of the container, whether of polystyrene, galvanized iron or glass, the pH range of 7-9 and total hardness of the water.