Press release
As South Africa continues to battle recurring outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a powerful new tool has emerged to strengthen farm-level biosecurity.
Independent trials conducted through the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) have confirmed that PEROXSIL, a silver-stabilised hydrogen peroxide disinfectant, delivers exceptional results in neutralising FMD Virus (FMDV) in contaminated livestock drinking water.
Traditionally, FMD prevention has focused on vaccination and livestock movement control. However, a growing number of experts now warn that this overlooks a key transmission route: contaminated water. Livestock consume large amounts of water daily, and shared troughs or tanks can quickly become viral reservoirs if exposed to infected animals.
In groundbreaking tests simulating real-world farm conditions, PEROXSIL demonstrated exceptional performance under high organic load—specifically 5% BSA, which is significantly more challenging than the 0.3% or lower levels typically used in disinfectant trials. Despite these harsh conditions, PEROXSIL achieved a ≥99.9999% (6-log) reduction in foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), even at temperatures as low as 4°C. This makes it uniquely suitable for year-round use across varied farming environments. Importantly, PEROXSIL remains the only disinfectant in Africa independently tested for the deactivation of FMDV in water—where the treated water remained potable for both humans and animals.
To our knowledge, no other biocide has undergone such testing with results confirming both effective viral kill and post-treatment water safety—marking a significant breakthrough in proactive livestock biosecurity.
“This changes how we think about biosecurity,” says a spokesperson for the research team. “Water can now shift from being a threat to being part of the solution.”
Farmers, cooperatives, and agricultural authorities are encouraged to integrate water disinfection with PEROXSIL into their FMD response protocols.
Relevant Agribook pages include “Biosecurity” and “Water“
Photo: Giulia Botan on Pexels
