Bird diseases transmittable to humans

I owned once before two beautiful pigeons which I left freely inside my own room. Yes ,you got that right..they used to go around pooping inside my room and always had to clean up after them (such a messy job it was) but I never had the heart to see those gentle creatures caged .My granpa used to say that sounds of pigeon in the loft is a sign of bad luck..or more accurately put its a sign of doom...(He never used to like any animals or birds).Though I loved my garnpa more than anything in my life and wanted to be just like him,I am relieved to know that I got my animal loving traits from my paternal granddad.My earliest memories of him is patching up a sparrow's nest with a simple needle and thread which my house maid destroyed.He always had a knack of knowing their needs which I cant say have got passed on to his this grandchild when it comes to birds but I can proudly say I am better than the other three...


Before caring for any birds you should be well aware of the possible risks involved in caring for them so you know exactly what you are getting into.There are many number of bird flues reported in past years that we know are fatal in rare cases but that doesnt have to scare us away from owning a pet bird or even touching one or cleaning the poopings of wild pigeons nesting on the windowstills.They are creations of God and should be given a chance to live too.

These are common diseases found in birds that can get transmitted to humans when in contact:=


Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by a fungus, which grows in pigeon droppings. It also grows in soils and is found throughout the world. When cleaning droppings a person may breathe in some of the fungus, which in cases of high exposure can cause infection. Common activities, such as cleaning off windowsills, will not result in high exposures.

Symptoms of histoplasmosis begin to appear about 10 days after initial infection and include fatigue, fever, and chest pains. Most people, however, do not show any symptoms. Those with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients or people living with HIV/AIDS are generally more at risk of developing histoplasmosis. The disease cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcosis is another fungal disease associated with pigeon droppings and also grows in soils throughout the world. It is very unlikely that healthy people will become infected even at high levels of exposure. A major risk factor for infection is a compromised immune system. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 85 percent of cryptococcosis patients are HIV-positive.

Psittacosis
Psittacosis (also known as ornithosis or parrot fever) is a rare infectious disease that mainly affects parrots and parrot-like birds such as cockatiels, and parakeets, but may also affect other birds, such as pigeons. When bird droppings dry and become airborne people may inhale them and get sick.

In humans, this bacterial disease is characterized by: fatigue, fever, headache, rash, chills, and sometimes pneumonia. Symptoms develop about 10 days after exposure. Psittacosis can be treated with a common antibiotic.