MedicalNews Today; Birds Droppings Carry 60 Diseases Some Potentially Fatal
Friday, December 27, 2024
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (December 27, 2024)(CNBNews)--Most people like birds; they are pretty to look at. Plus, listening to a bird sing is soothing and relaxing. However, the majority of people never give any thought to how harmful bird droppings are to a person's health. So harmful in some cases a person could die by inhaling the air where the dung is located. The source for this article, MedicalNews Today, issued a warning to people about those large green goose droppings that you find at many parks; in particular, they warned dog owners to keep their pet away from it and don't allow them to eat it.
Listed below are examples of transmissible bird diseases associated with pigeons, geese, starlings and house sparrows:
Just one of the flocks of geese that inhabit the Johnson Blvd jogging track in Gloucester City. (CNBNews photo)
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Data by MedicalNews Today revealed that bird droppings are carriers of over 60 diseases, some potentially fatal. These diseases pose a threat not only to humans but also to our beloved pets. The danger is particularly pronounced in residential areas, where these pathogens can easily become airborne, putting unsuspecting individuals at risk simply by being near contaminated droppings.
Put simply, if your bird feeder is a popular spot for pigeons, geese, starlings, and house sparrows, you could invite over 60 diseases into your home. Even a leisurely walk in a park or around a jogging track heavily populated by Canada geese, such as Johnson Blvd Jogging Track in Gloucester City and Haddon Lake Park in Audubon, where large piles of geese excrement are common, can expose you to some of these airborne pathogens. This is a warning from MedicalNews Today .
Thankfully, there are effective ways to manage disease risks on chicken farms. By implementing protective measures such as visual scare devices, sonic distress call emitters, ultrasonic disrupters, and roost inhibitors, farmers can create a safe environment for their livestock and the surrounding community. These proactive steps can significantly reduce the risk of bird flu outbreaks.
Examples of transmissible bird diseases associated with pigeons, geese, starlings and house sparrows:
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Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease that may be fatal. It results from a fungus growing in dried bird droppings.
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Candidiasis is a yeast or fungus infection spread by pigeons. The disease affects the skin, the mouth, the respiratory system, the intestines and the urogenital tract, especially the vagina. It is a growing problem for women, causing itching, pain and discharge.
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Cryptococcosis is caused by yeast found in the intestinal tract of pigeons and starlings. The illness often begins as a pulmonary disease and may later affect the central nervous system. Since attics, cupolas, ledges, schools, offices, warehouses, mills, barns, park buildings, signs, etc. are typical roosting and nesting sites, the fungus is apt to found in these areas.
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St. Louis Encephalitis, an inflammation of the nervous system, usually causes drowsiness, headache and fever. It may even result in paralysis, coma or death. St. Louis encephalitis occurs in all age groups, but is especially fatal to persons over age 60. The disease is spread by mosquitoes which have fed on infected house sparrow, pigeons and house finches carrying the Group B virus responsible for St. Louis encephalitis.
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Salmonellosis often occurs as "food poisoning" and can be traced to pigeons, starlings and sparrows. The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.
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E.coli. Cattle carry E. coli 0157:H7. When birds peck on cow manure, the E. coli go right through the birds and the bird droppings can land on or in a food or water supply
Besides being direct carriers of disease, nuisance birds are frequently associated with over 50 kinds of ectoparasites, which can work their way throughout structures to infest and bite humans. About two-thirds of these pests may be detrimental to the general health and well-being of humans and domestic animals. The rest are considered nuisance or incidental pests.
A few examples of ectoparasites include:
- Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) may consume up to five times their own weight in blood drawn from hosts which include humans and some domestic animals. In any extreme condition, victims may become weak and anemic. Pigeons, starlings and house sparrows are known to carry bed bugs.
- Chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) are known carriers of encephalitis and may also cause fowl mite dermatitis and acariasis. While they subsist on blood drawn from a variety of birds, they may also attack humans. They have been found on pigeons, starlings and house sparrows.
- Yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), perhaps the most common beetle parasites of people in the United States, live in pigeon nests. It is found in grain or grain products, often winding up in breakfast cereals, and may cause intestinal canthariasis and hymenolespiasis.
- West Nile Virus while West Nile is technically not transmitted to humans from birds, humans can get infected by the bite of a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird. The obvious lesson is that the fewer birds there are in any given area, the better. This translates into a smaller chance of an infected bird in that area, a smaller chance of a mosquito biting an infected bird and then biting a human.
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Psittacosis (ornithosis):A bacterial disease commonly associated with pigeons, caused by Chlamydia psittaci, which can be transmitted to humans through inhalation of contaminated dust from droppings.
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Cryptococcosis:A fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, often found in bird droppings, which can be inhaled and lead to respiratory issues.
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Histoplasmosis:A fungal disease caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, found in soil contaminated with bird droppings, especially problematic for people with weakened immune systems.
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Salmonellosis:A bacterial infection is caused by Salmonella bacteria, which can be present in bird droppings and transmitted through contaminated food or direct contact.
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Avian influenza:It is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect various bird species, including pigeons and starlings, and can sometimes be transmissible to humans depending on the strain.
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Saint Louis encephalitis:A viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that feed on infected birds like house sparrows and pigeons.
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Candidiasis:A yeast infection that can affect the digestive tract and other systems in birds, potentially transmissible through contact with infected droppings.
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Avian tuberculosis:A bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium avium, which can be present in birds and potentially transmit to humans in certain situations.
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One of the biggest downsides to a Canada Goose presence in your neighborhood is the gross, unsightly fecal matter they leave all over walkways. In problem areas, people often have to dance around to avoid stepping in poop! While it's disgusting, there’s also a hidden danger tied to goose-dropping: dangerous diseases and bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Histoplasmosis, Campylobacter, Coccidia, and Giardia.
High concentrations of birds can render beaches and parks completely unusable. This article from Detroit Free Press highlights how Canada Goose and Seagull droppings have been a big factor in E Coli beach-front closures at Lake St. Clair. The New York Post wrote an article called “America’s Greatest threat may be Canada Goose Poop”.
Canada Geese, on average, drop between 1 to 1.5 pounds of feces every day! Hosting a population of 20 birds would be the same as having someone spread 20-30 lbs of bacteria contaminated biohazard on your lawn every day. Most people aren’t aware, but these birds can present a real threat to humans and pets alike.
*Medical News Today is a web-based outlet for medical information and news, targeted at both the general public and physicians. All posted content is available online (>250,000 articles as of January 2014), and the earliest available article dates from May 2003. The website was founded in 2003 by Alastair Hazell and Christian Nordqvist.[1] It was acquired by Healthline Media in April 2016.[2]