A London-based skin-care start-up has developed a hand gel that it claims can kill the H5N1 bird flu virus in half a minute.

Since bird flu first appeared in Indonesia in 2003, it has spread to 29 out of the country's 33 provinces, and resulted in the deaths of millions of birds and claimed at least 48 humans.

The news of the gel comes as Indonesia has embarked on a campaign to educate people, especially in rural areas, on how to avoid their poultry becoming infected.

Almost all Indonesia's small-scale farmers have seen their flocks decimated by the deadly virus and many now have only a small number of birds to supplement the family income.

The gel, which could be in the market by the end of the year, has been developed by DermaSalve Sciences for the prevention of the disease among health workers, consumers and agricultural workers. It kills the virus within 30 seconds, claims the company.

The company will begin manufacturing the product next month and is already involved in commercial discussions with various companies regarding the sale of the gel, DermaSalve's chief executive Mark Randle said, reported the health portal News Medical.

Experts say other products already on the market such as soaps, sprays and gels that claimed to kill all germs may also have the ability but have not been tested for this particular type of bacteria or virus.

As one expert says, until it is known which specific strain of bird flu has the potential to cause a pandemic, the gel could well be useless.