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Pigeons and Doves
are one of the first bird species to be domesticated by humans
and have been friends to us since ancient times.
Doves are symbolic of peace, harmony, happiness, well-being,
wisdom, prosperity, fortune, persistence, compassion,
mercy, forgiveness, freedom, good luck, divination, healing, fertility, fortune,
transformation, compassion, power.
Doves and pigeons are different from other bird species because,
in their family, both the males and the female parent pigeon can produce crop milk
for their younger ones. https://www.deakin.edu.au
Pigeons mate for life. If one of them dies, the other spend their remaining
life in loneliness.
Their monogamous nature is mostly why doves and pigeons are considered
sacred symbols in a wedding ceremony.
🌸
Pigeons and Doves
are one of the first bird species to be domesticated by humans
and have been friends to us since ancient times.
Doves are symbolic of peace, harmony, happiness, well-being,
wisdom, prosperity, fortune, persistence, compassion,
mercy, forgiveness, freedom, good luck, divination, healing, fertility, fortune,
transformation, compassion, power.
Doves and pigeons are different from other bird species because,
in their family, both the males and the female parent pigeon can produce crop milk
for their younger ones. https://www.deakin.edu.au
Pigeons mate for life. If one of them dies, the other spend their remaining
life in loneliness.
Their monogamous nature is mostly why doves and pigeons are considered
sacred symbols in a wedding ceremony.
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The Amount of Avian Antigen
in Household Dust Predicts
the Prognosis
of Chronic Bird-related Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
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https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201412-569OC
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The Amount of Avian Antigen
in Household Dust Predicts
the Prognosis
of Chronic Bird-related Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
🌸
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201412-569OC
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Berger had about 10 birds living in her house,
including one in her bedroom.
Berger had about 10 birds living in her house,
including one in her bedroom.
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She thought she had COVID-19.
It turned out to be bird fancier's lung.
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Christy Berger knew something was really wrong when she developed
severe shortness of breath.
"I love animals, but there's something special about birds for me …
they're so smart and beautiful,"
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https://www.today.com/health/lung-disease-looked-covid-19-was-reaction-birds-t219015
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She thought she had COVID-19.
It turned out to be bird fancier's lung.
🌸
Christy Berger knew something was really wrong when she developed
severe shortness of breath.
"I love animals, but there's something special about birds for me …
they're so smart and beautiful,"
🌸
https://www.today.com/health/lung-disease-looked-covid-19-was-reaction-birds-t219015
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By A. Pawlowski
As COVID-19 deaths surged in January, Christy Berger worried she had all the symptoms of a coronavirus infection.
She started to feel her lungs when she breathed — a strange sensation that wasn’t painful or uncomfortable, but more like a tickle or an itch.
Then, the 52-year-old began having such severe shortness of breath that she couldn't walk across the street without feeling winded. Her doctor ordered a COVID-19 test, but before Berger received the results, she panicked and bought a pulse oximeter in the middle of the night to measure the oxygen level in her blood. One time, it dropped to 75% — a dangerously low reading.
“I was really scared. When you're not able to breathe, that's one of the scariest things you can feel and it affects everything,” Berger, who lives in Citrus Heights, California, told TODAY.
“I knew something was really wrong.”
The COVID-19 test was negative, but a CT scan finally provided an answer. Berger had a rare but potentially life-threatening reaction to an allergen in her home: bird feathers. For six years, she’d been a volunteer at a wildlife rescue, tending to injured birds. Berger brought some of them home to give them better care and some of those pigeons and doves became her pets. About 10 lived in the house. A couple of dozen more lived in an aviary outside.
Berger’s diagnosis: hypersensitivity pneumonitis, also known as bird fancier's lung when it’s caused by breathing in particles from bird feathers or droppings. Some people even react to feather pillows or down comforters.
'Birds and hot tubs are the two biggest culprits'The condition is an inflammatory reaction of the lung when it’s exposed to antigens — different types of proteins that can be found in the environment, said Dr. MeiLan Han, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association and professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary and critical care at the University of Michigan.
“Birds and hot tubs are the two biggest culprits that I see in my practice for potential issues in the home,” said Han, who was not treating Berger.
“(The inflammation) will lead to shortness of breath and oxygen levels dropping. During a pandemic, if you see a funny shadow on an X-ray or CT scan, plus oxygen levels dropping, it makes a lot of sense that people jump immediately to the thing that's on everyone brain right now, which is COVID-19.”
Doctors recognize hypersensitivity pneumonitis by a certain pattern they see on a CT scan, but it can take a long time to figure out which antigen is causing the problem, she noted. More than 300 substances can trigger hypersensitivity pneumonitis, according to the American Lung Association.
Besides bird fancier's lung, there’s hot tub lung, which develops when people breathe in bacteria found in the water vapor coming from indoor spas; humidifier lung, triggered by breathing in fungus growing in humidifiers, air conditioners and heating systems; and farmer's lung, caused by breathing in mold found in hay, straw and grain.
Treatment starts by removing the patient from the antigen exposure so the lungs can heal. But if the affected person is repeatedly exposed over long periods of time, the inflammation becomes a scar, Han said. She had a patient with bird fancier's lung die because the woman refused to give up her parrot.
“Often, it's very difficult to part people from their birds, and parrots live a really, really long time,” Han noted.
Staying away from birds Berger called having to give up her birds “devastating.”
She’s been able to find new homes for many of them, so she’s now down to about 20 birds living in the aviary outside her house. They'll have to be adopted, too, so she's seeking help through her Facebook page. She also can’t volunteer inside at the wildlife rescue anymore.
Probably the first month, I cried every day,” Berger said.
“I love animals, but there's something special about birds for me… they're so smart and beautiful and there's something about them that I really connect with. So it just breaks my heart. It's really hard.”
As COVID-19 deaths surged in January, Christy Berger worried she had all the symptoms of a coronavirus infection.
She started to feel her lungs when she breathed — a strange sensation that wasn’t painful or uncomfortable, but more like a tickle or an itch.
Then, the 52-year-old began having such severe shortness of breath that she couldn't walk across the street without feeling winded. Her doctor ordered a COVID-19 test, but before Berger received the results, she panicked and bought a pulse oximeter in the middle of the night to measure the oxygen level in her blood. One time, it dropped to 75% — a dangerously low reading.
“I was really scared. When you're not able to breathe, that's one of the scariest things you can feel and it affects everything,” Berger, who lives in Citrus Heights, California, told TODAY.
“I knew something was really wrong.”
The COVID-19 test was negative, but a CT scan finally provided an answer. Berger had a rare but potentially life-threatening reaction to an allergen in her home: bird feathers. For six years, she’d been a volunteer at a wildlife rescue, tending to injured birds. Berger brought some of them home to give them better care and some of those pigeons and doves became her pets. About 10 lived in the house. A couple of dozen more lived in an aviary outside.
Berger’s diagnosis: hypersensitivity pneumonitis, also known as bird fancier's lung when it’s caused by breathing in particles from bird feathers or droppings. Some people even react to feather pillows or down comforters.
'Birds and hot tubs are the two biggest culprits'The condition is an inflammatory reaction of the lung when it’s exposed to antigens — different types of proteins that can be found in the environment, said Dr. MeiLan Han, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association and professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary and critical care at the University of Michigan.
“Birds and hot tubs are the two biggest culprits that I see in my practice for potential issues in the home,” said Han, who was not treating Berger.
“(The inflammation) will lead to shortness of breath and oxygen levels dropping. During a pandemic, if you see a funny shadow on an X-ray or CT scan, plus oxygen levels dropping, it makes a lot of sense that people jump immediately to the thing that's on everyone brain right now, which is COVID-19.”
Doctors recognize hypersensitivity pneumonitis by a certain pattern they see on a CT scan, but it can take a long time to figure out which antigen is causing the problem, she noted. More than 300 substances can trigger hypersensitivity pneumonitis, according to the American Lung Association.
Besides bird fancier's lung, there’s hot tub lung, which develops when people breathe in bacteria found in the water vapor coming from indoor spas; humidifier lung, triggered by breathing in fungus growing in humidifiers, air conditioners and heating systems; and farmer's lung, caused by breathing in mold found in hay, straw and grain.
Treatment starts by removing the patient from the antigen exposure so the lungs can heal. But if the affected person is repeatedly exposed over long periods of time, the inflammation becomes a scar, Han said. She had a patient with bird fancier's lung die because the woman refused to give up her parrot.
“Often, it's very difficult to part people from their birds, and parrots live a really, really long time,” Han noted.
Staying away from birds Berger called having to give up her birds “devastating.”
She’s been able to find new homes for many of them, so she’s now down to about 20 birds living in the aviary outside her house. They'll have to be adopted, too, so she's seeking help through her Facebook page. She also can’t volunteer inside at the wildlife rescue anymore.
Probably the first month, I cried every day,” Berger said.
“I love animals, but there's something special about birds for me… they're so smart and beautiful and there's something about them that I really connect with. So it just breaks my heart. It's really hard.”
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Bird fancier's lung is caused by breathing in particles from bird feathers or droppings.
Some people even react to feather pillows or down comforters.
🌸
Bird fancier's lung is caused by breathing in particles from bird feathers or droppings.
Some people even react to feather pillows or down comforters.
🌸
Berger also had to have her house deep cleaned to get rid of bird dander. The antigens can get into the ventilation system and be farther into the home than people realize, Han said.
Berger’s CT scan showed her condition may be reversible since there was no lung scarring present. She was prescribed the corticosteroid prednisone for a while to suppress the inflammation and said she feels much better.
Most bird owners won’t get bird fancier's lung. Doctors don't fully understand why some people are affected, but it’s thought they may have a genetic predisposition for the condition, Han noted. If you have a bird in your home, she recommended keeping it in a well-ventilated space and keeping things as clean as possible.
See a doctor if you develop a new cough or become short of breath, and don’t ignore those symptoms, warned Han, author of the upcoming book "Breathing Lessons: A Doctor's Guide to Lung Health."
“One of the problems with lung diseases in general is that we tend to talk it up to something else, like ‘I'm getting over a cold’ or ‘I smoke’ or ‘I'm overweight,’” she said.
“Shortness of breath is never normal… the quicker you identify (the problem), then the quicker you can be on the road to recovery.”
A. Pawlowski
Berger’s CT scan showed her condition may be reversible since there was no lung scarring present. She was prescribed the corticosteroid prednisone for a while to suppress the inflammation and said she feels much better.
Most bird owners won’t get bird fancier's lung. Doctors don't fully understand why some people are affected, but it’s thought they may have a genetic predisposition for the condition, Han noted. If you have a bird in your home, she recommended keeping it in a well-ventilated space and keeping things as clean as possible.
See a doctor if you develop a new cough or become short of breath, and don’t ignore those symptoms, warned Han, author of the upcoming book "Breathing Lessons: A Doctor's Guide to Lung Health."
“One of the problems with lung diseases in general is that we tend to talk it up to something else, like ‘I'm getting over a cold’ or ‘I smoke’ or ‘I'm overweight,’” she said.
“Shortness of breath is never normal… the quicker you identify (the problem), then the quicker you can be on the road to recovery.”
A. Pawlowski
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Pigeon - Related Diseases
Diseases associated with pigeon droppings include
Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis and Psittacosis.
You can become infected with these diseases by breathing in the dust
that is created when cleaning droppings.
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Pigeon - Related Diseases
Diseases associated with pigeon droppings include
Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis and Psittacosis.
You can become infected with these diseases by breathing in the dust
that is created when cleaning droppings.
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Common Pigeon Diseases
ADRIENNE KRUZER
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https://www.thesprucepets.com/common-pigeon-diseases-4153044
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Common Pigeon Diseases
ADRIENNE KRUZER
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https://www.thesprucepets.com/common-pigeon-diseases-4153044
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Pigeons are surprisingly popular pets. They, along with doves, are short-legged, stout-bodied birds that are found almost everywhere in the world in both the wild and our homes. As pets, we care for their every need, including treating many common diseases that they may get. These diseases can cause a variety of symptoms including breathing problems, diarrhea, and even death.
Common Pigeon Diseases
Pigeon Canker
Canker is caused by a tiny organism called a protozoan and typically causes breathing problems.1 It is a disease that is easily transmitted from bird to bird but thankfully it is not able to survive outside of a bird for more than a few minutes. Pigeons pass canker on to other pigeons when they share water bowls, exhibit billing with other adult pigeons, and feed young pigeons crop milk ( a semi-solid, crumbly excretion high in fat and protein).
The organism that causes canker is typically found in a pigeon's crop, throat, bile duct, cloaca, proventriculus, or other parts of the digestive tract. Nodules from canker may also be found on the navel in a nestling pigeon or in pigeon sinuses.
Symptoms of canker will vary depending on what part of the body it is found in but since it most commonly affects the throat, most pigeons will have breathing difficulties due to the nodules on the tonsils. Other signs of canker, besides the visible nodules and breathing issues, include diarrhea, weight loss, lethargy, and bleeding from the mouth and cloaca. Symptoms worsen if the disease is not treated and canker can cause death.
Canker lesions look like other kinds of infections (such as an abscess) but canker will only affect parts of the pigeon's body that are related to or close to the digestive tract. This means a lesion on a wing would definitely not be canker. The organism may also be seen microscopically in the feces. If your pigeon has canker, it can be treated with medication prescribed by your vet.2 Sometimes surgical removal of the nodule is necessary by your vet.
Pigeon Worms
Like many other types of animals, pigeons can harbor various kinds of worms in their intestinal tract. Roundworms, tapeworms, and hairworms grow and live in the digestive tract of pigeons and can cause diarrhea, weakness, increased susceptibility to other diseases, and performance issues in competitive pigeons. Sometimes you can see worms passed in the feces of a pigeon but oftentimes their eggs are found during a microscopic examination of the droppings.
Pigeons get worms from eating insects and ingesting infected droppings from other birds so it can be very difficult to prevent your pigeon from getting worms. Regular microscopic exams of your pigeon's droppings are recommended to screen for these parasites and treatment involves medication that, like other pigeon medicine, can be added to the water or given orally in a syringe.
Pigeon Coccidia
Similar to worms, coccidia is an intestinal protozoan that is found in pigeons and other animals and causes diarrhea, loss of nutrient absorption, weakness, lethargy and weight loss. Coccidia is easily transmitted from pigeon to pigeon when they ingest infected droppings and is often found in small, acceptable quantities in most pigeon lofts. If a pigeon is acting normally and a small amount of coccidia is found, it is often not treated.3
Coccidia is a microscopic organism so you will not be able to see it without a microscope, therefore regular fecal examinations by your vet are recommended to make sure your pigeon does not have an abundance of coccidia. Despite small amounts of the protozoan being acceptable, if your pigeon has coccidia and loose droppings (the most common indication of coccidia) or other symptoms, they should receive medications to treat it.
Pigeon Hexamita
Very similar to the protozoan that causes canker in pigeons, this organism is also found in the digestive tract of pigeons. Thankfully, hexamita is not as serious for most pigeons as canker is but it is still recommended to treat a bird that is diagnosed with it. The organism can be found microscopically in feces and is often confused with canker due to its similar appearance. It can cause vomiting, weight loss, and bloody diarrhea if it overpopulates your pigeon's intestinal tract but typically goes unnoticed in normal pigeons.
Pigeon Lice, Mites and Flies
External parasites, such as lice, mites, and flies are a real bother to your pet pigeon.4 These annoying pests not only bite and irritate your pigeon but can also cause more serious damage, such as blood loss or introduce disease to your bird. A scaly appearance to the unfeathered areas of your pigeon, tiny holes in the feather shafts, and itchy birds are all signs of external parasites. Depending on the type of parasite, medicated sprays are typically used on a pigeon that is infected.
Pigeon Respiratory Infections
Other than canker, respiratory infections are probably the most feared type of problem that pigeon owners face.5 Respiratory infections are extremely contagious. Stressed, old, and young birds are most susceptible to infection.
Respiratory infections make it hard for a bird to breathe and fly so they are less active and competing pigeons will perform poorly. If left untreated, a pigeon with a respiratory infection will be open mouth breathing, have an increased effort while breathing, sit fluffed up with their eyes closed, not eat, and will ultimately die.
Many things can cause a respiratory infection in a pigeon including fungi, viruses, bacteria, and mites. The infections can involve the lungs, air sacs, sinuses, and other parts of the respiratory tract. There may be visible discharge from the nares, inside the mouth or choana, or you may actually hear your pigeon sneezing and/or coughing if they have a respiratory infection.
Aggressive treatment, including taking your bird to the vet when you see respiratory symptoms, environmental cleaning, treating underlying parasites that may have predisposed your pigeon to get sick, finding the cause of the infection, and medicating your pigeon, are all important in eradicating a respiratory infection.
Pigeon Chlamydia
There are many different strains of chlamydia in pigeons and some birds do not show symptoms. but if your pigeon is stressed they may have a flare-up of this virus.6
Medications to treat the virus can be given to birds showing symptoms of chlamydia but the disease cannot be cured. Respiratory infections caused by the virus are the real concern in pigeons who have chlamydia so they are usually treated symptomatically while ensuring their environment is ideal (avoid dampness, fluctuating temperatures, etc.).
https://medlineplus.gov/chlamydiainfections.html
Pigeon Mycoplasma
Also a cause of respiratory infections, mycoplasma can infect pigeons in their respiratory tract.7 The symptoms of a mycoplasma infection are the same as those of a chlamydia and other respiratory infections so depending on the part of the respiratory tract that is infected, you may see nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and other symptoms.
Stress is again the primary reason why a pigeon will show symptoms of mycoplasma. Therefore, managing a clean, stress-free, ideal environment for your pigeon is crucial in keeping your bird healthy.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon: Bird Species Profile
Common Pigeon Diseases
- Canker
- Lice
- Flies
- Coccidia
- Worms
- Hexamita
- Mites
- Chlamydia
- Respiratory Infections
- Mycoplasma
Pigeon Canker
Canker is caused by a tiny organism called a protozoan and typically causes breathing problems.1 It is a disease that is easily transmitted from bird to bird but thankfully it is not able to survive outside of a bird for more than a few minutes. Pigeons pass canker on to other pigeons when they share water bowls, exhibit billing with other adult pigeons, and feed young pigeons crop milk ( a semi-solid, crumbly excretion high in fat and protein).
The organism that causes canker is typically found in a pigeon's crop, throat, bile duct, cloaca, proventriculus, or other parts of the digestive tract. Nodules from canker may also be found on the navel in a nestling pigeon or in pigeon sinuses.
Symptoms of canker will vary depending on what part of the body it is found in but since it most commonly affects the throat, most pigeons will have breathing difficulties due to the nodules on the tonsils. Other signs of canker, besides the visible nodules and breathing issues, include diarrhea, weight loss, lethargy, and bleeding from the mouth and cloaca. Symptoms worsen if the disease is not treated and canker can cause death.
Canker lesions look like other kinds of infections (such as an abscess) but canker will only affect parts of the pigeon's body that are related to or close to the digestive tract. This means a lesion on a wing would definitely not be canker. The organism may also be seen microscopically in the feces. If your pigeon has canker, it can be treated with medication prescribed by your vet.2 Sometimes surgical removal of the nodule is necessary by your vet.
Pigeon Worms
Like many other types of animals, pigeons can harbor various kinds of worms in their intestinal tract. Roundworms, tapeworms, and hairworms grow and live in the digestive tract of pigeons and can cause diarrhea, weakness, increased susceptibility to other diseases, and performance issues in competitive pigeons. Sometimes you can see worms passed in the feces of a pigeon but oftentimes their eggs are found during a microscopic examination of the droppings.
Pigeons get worms from eating insects and ingesting infected droppings from other birds so it can be very difficult to prevent your pigeon from getting worms. Regular microscopic exams of your pigeon's droppings are recommended to screen for these parasites and treatment involves medication that, like other pigeon medicine, can be added to the water or given orally in a syringe.
Pigeon Coccidia
Similar to worms, coccidia is an intestinal protozoan that is found in pigeons and other animals and causes diarrhea, loss of nutrient absorption, weakness, lethargy and weight loss. Coccidia is easily transmitted from pigeon to pigeon when they ingest infected droppings and is often found in small, acceptable quantities in most pigeon lofts. If a pigeon is acting normally and a small amount of coccidia is found, it is often not treated.3
Coccidia is a microscopic organism so you will not be able to see it without a microscope, therefore regular fecal examinations by your vet are recommended to make sure your pigeon does not have an abundance of coccidia. Despite small amounts of the protozoan being acceptable, if your pigeon has coccidia and loose droppings (the most common indication of coccidia) or other symptoms, they should receive medications to treat it.
Pigeon Hexamita
Very similar to the protozoan that causes canker in pigeons, this organism is also found in the digestive tract of pigeons. Thankfully, hexamita is not as serious for most pigeons as canker is but it is still recommended to treat a bird that is diagnosed with it. The organism can be found microscopically in feces and is often confused with canker due to its similar appearance. It can cause vomiting, weight loss, and bloody diarrhea if it overpopulates your pigeon's intestinal tract but typically goes unnoticed in normal pigeons.
Pigeon Lice, Mites and Flies
External parasites, such as lice, mites, and flies are a real bother to your pet pigeon.4 These annoying pests not only bite and irritate your pigeon but can also cause more serious damage, such as blood loss or introduce disease to your bird. A scaly appearance to the unfeathered areas of your pigeon, tiny holes in the feather shafts, and itchy birds are all signs of external parasites. Depending on the type of parasite, medicated sprays are typically used on a pigeon that is infected.
Pigeon Respiratory Infections
Other than canker, respiratory infections are probably the most feared type of problem that pigeon owners face.5 Respiratory infections are extremely contagious. Stressed, old, and young birds are most susceptible to infection.
Respiratory infections make it hard for a bird to breathe and fly so they are less active and competing pigeons will perform poorly. If left untreated, a pigeon with a respiratory infection will be open mouth breathing, have an increased effort while breathing, sit fluffed up with their eyes closed, not eat, and will ultimately die.
Many things can cause a respiratory infection in a pigeon including fungi, viruses, bacteria, and mites. The infections can involve the lungs, air sacs, sinuses, and other parts of the respiratory tract. There may be visible discharge from the nares, inside the mouth or choana, or you may actually hear your pigeon sneezing and/or coughing if they have a respiratory infection.
Aggressive treatment, including taking your bird to the vet when you see respiratory symptoms, environmental cleaning, treating underlying parasites that may have predisposed your pigeon to get sick, finding the cause of the infection, and medicating your pigeon, are all important in eradicating a respiratory infection.
Pigeon Chlamydia
There are many different strains of chlamydia in pigeons and some birds do not show symptoms. but if your pigeon is stressed they may have a flare-up of this virus.6
Medications to treat the virus can be given to birds showing symptoms of chlamydia but the disease cannot be cured. Respiratory infections caused by the virus are the real concern in pigeons who have chlamydia so they are usually treated symptomatically while ensuring their environment is ideal (avoid dampness, fluctuating temperatures, etc.).
https://medlineplus.gov/chlamydiainfections.html
Pigeon Mycoplasma
Also a cause of respiratory infections, mycoplasma can infect pigeons in their respiratory tract.7 The symptoms of a mycoplasma infection are the same as those of a chlamydia and other respiratory infections so depending on the part of the respiratory tract that is infected, you may see nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and other symptoms.
Stress is again the primary reason why a pigeon will show symptoms of mycoplasma. Therefore, managing a clean, stress-free, ideal environment for your pigeon is crucial in keeping your bird healthy.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon: Bird Species Profile
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Death by Pigeons
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Death by Pigeons
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It’s time to take a leaf out of Spain’s book, as complex lung ailments are being reported by city pulmonologists, thanks to a rise in pigeon population
A bird census carried out three years ago by citybased NGO Ecological Society had pegged the number of Rock Pigeons at 13,271 all over Pune. The population has increased since, with its impact felt on the health of citizens over this period of time. Today, pulmonologists in Pune are known to attend to three to four patients each week with lung ailments caused by pigeon droppings — a rarity just three years ago.
Forty-one-year-old Mohan Sonkamble (name changed to protect identity), who used to run a laundry, had to give up his favourite hobby of feeding pigeons. It’s tending to the same flock that has had him bed-ridden with acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
He is presently on ventilator. “He has loved pigeons since he was a child and now the feathers and droppings have wreaked havoc on his system. His lungs stopped functioning, given the deposits of dust from droppings. It has also affected his heart.
We have no option but go for a lung transplant, which is not only beyond our means but also comes with no guarantee of success,” said his brother.
The cases of ailments are not localised in overpopulated and congested parts of the city. Given the corresponding rise in construction activity in and around the city — where the birds fly in to roost — the ailments have become widespread. As Dr Mahavir Modi, pulmonologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “Illnesses driven by residue of pigeon droppings and feathers are affecting those living in posh areas as well. Most of them develop cough, which cannot be easily traced as the symptoms are that of an asthma patient.”
Like Sonkamble, most patients are hit by acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis, where the patients’ lungs inflame from the inside, with early symptoms resembling pneumonia. “The patients do not respond to antibiotics and steroids have to be administered to them. The condition can get very serious with some even needing ICU care with a need for oxygen,” added Dr Modi.
In yet another case, the wife of a senior government employee residing in Erandwane has been a victim, too. She has been suffering from dry cough for six months and, at times, her face would blacken due to lack of oxygen supply. “She used to be treated for respiratory tract infection, but there was no let-up in her condition.
After she tested negative for tuberculosis, we finally got a CT scan and blood test done, which revealed the ailment,” said her husband. He added that pigeon menace in their neighbourhood stops them from even opening windows and balcony doors. “There is a shop nearby and the owner puts out food for the pigeons over there. This has led to a spurt in pigeon population here,” he added.
Such patients, with repeated exposure to the birds, are also likely to become victims of lung fibrosis, which can be devastating with no cure available. “Besides these, they are also carriers for many deadly fungi and atypical bacteria, which can cause diseases like cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis (fungal lung infections) and psitacosis (bacterial lung infection) — all of them rare and hard to diagnose,” said Modi.
Dr Nitin Abhyankar, a pulmonologist from Poona Hospital, said pigeons lead to 60 per cent cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis among patients living in urban areas. “It is almost as if flying rodents are affecting people. While those with acute hypersensitivity can be treated with high dosages, it is extremely difficult to treat the patients who reach the chronic allergy stage,” said Abhyankar.
Dr Sundeep Salvi, director of the Kalyani Nagar-based Chest Research Foundation, explained that the hypersensitivity pneumonitis or bhronchiolitis obliterans are known to block the small windpipe and sometimes affect the alveoli in the lungs. “The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative,” he said.
A Spanish town, Badia del Valles, near Barcelona, plagued by pigeons, has started mixing contraceptives in the bird feed to curb population, as some birds are known to have as many as 48 chicks a year. While there is yet to be an initiative of that scale here, Swati Gole, founder of Ecological Society, votes for a second census.
“We want another survey to mark the change in the pigeon population. Since the pigeons are known to nest in buildings, with the rising settlements around us, their numbers are bound to have increased. Moreover, birds also thrive when they are fed with grain, which is common among Indians,” said Gole.
The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative
DR SUNDEEP SALVI, DIRECTOR, CHEST RESEARCH FOUNDATION
A bird census carried out three years ago by citybased NGO Ecological Society had pegged the number of Rock Pigeons at 13,271 all over Pune. The population has increased since, with its impact felt on the health of citizens over this period of time. Today, pulmonologists in Pune are known to attend to three to four patients each week with lung ailments caused by pigeon droppings — a rarity just three years ago.
Forty-one-year-old Mohan Sonkamble (name changed to protect identity), who used to run a laundry, had to give up his favourite hobby of feeding pigeons. It’s tending to the same flock that has had him bed-ridden with acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
He is presently on ventilator. “He has loved pigeons since he was a child and now the feathers and droppings have wreaked havoc on his system. His lungs stopped functioning, given the deposits of dust from droppings. It has also affected his heart.
We have no option but go for a lung transplant, which is not only beyond our means but also comes with no guarantee of success,” said his brother.
The cases of ailments are not localised in overpopulated and congested parts of the city. Given the corresponding rise in construction activity in and around the city — where the birds fly in to roost — the ailments have become widespread. As Dr Mahavir Modi, pulmonologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “Illnesses driven by residue of pigeon droppings and feathers are affecting those living in posh areas as well. Most of them develop cough, which cannot be easily traced as the symptoms are that of an asthma patient.”
Like Sonkamble, most patients are hit by acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis, where the patients’ lungs inflame from the inside, with early symptoms resembling pneumonia. “The patients do not respond to antibiotics and steroids have to be administered to them. The condition can get very serious with some even needing ICU care with a need for oxygen,” added Dr Modi.
In yet another case, the wife of a senior government employee residing in Erandwane has been a victim, too. She has been suffering from dry cough for six months and, at times, her face would blacken due to lack of oxygen supply. “She used to be treated for respiratory tract infection, but there was no let-up in her condition.
After she tested negative for tuberculosis, we finally got a CT scan and blood test done, which revealed the ailment,” said her husband. He added that pigeon menace in their neighbourhood stops them from even opening windows and balcony doors. “There is a shop nearby and the owner puts out food for the pigeons over there. This has led to a spurt in pigeon population here,” he added.
Such patients, with repeated exposure to the birds, are also likely to become victims of lung fibrosis, which can be devastating with no cure available. “Besides these, they are also carriers for many deadly fungi and atypical bacteria, which can cause diseases like cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis (fungal lung infections) and psitacosis (bacterial lung infection) — all of them rare and hard to diagnose,” said Modi.
Dr Nitin Abhyankar, a pulmonologist from Poona Hospital, said pigeons lead to 60 per cent cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis among patients living in urban areas. “It is almost as if flying rodents are affecting people. While those with acute hypersensitivity can be treated with high dosages, it is extremely difficult to treat the patients who reach the chronic allergy stage,” said Abhyankar.
Dr Sundeep Salvi, director of the Kalyani Nagar-based Chest Research Foundation, explained that the hypersensitivity pneumonitis or bhronchiolitis obliterans are known to block the small windpipe and sometimes affect the alveoli in the lungs. “The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative,” he said.
A Spanish town, Badia del Valles, near Barcelona, plagued by pigeons, has started mixing contraceptives in the bird feed to curb population, as some birds are known to have as many as 48 chicks a year. While there is yet to be an initiative of that scale here, Swati Gole, founder of Ecological Society, votes for a second census.
“We want another survey to mark the change in the pigeon population. Since the pigeons are known to nest in buildings, with the rising settlements around us, their numbers are bound to have increased. Moreover, birds also thrive when they are fed with grain, which is common among Indians,” said Gole.
The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative
DR SUNDEEP SALVI, DIRECTOR, CHEST RESEARCH FOUNDATION
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URBAN PIGEON
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URBAN PIGEON
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Urban pigeons can spread rare but unpleasant diseases. Feeding them is illegal, and too much food is not good for the bird. Feeding and loafing pigeons is a common game in the neighbourhood, and sometimes leads to fights. My children prefer the pigeon-feeding version, and just the other day they had a fight with another mother whose children wanted to feed the pigeons.
Fortunately it didn't turn into a big fuss, as it's virtually impossible to get the pigeons in the capital to move away properly: no matter how hard my kids tried, they walked ten centimetres away and kept eating the competition's crumbs.
Although feeding pigeons seems like a cute idea at first - we love animals and the kid will keep himself quiet for at least ten minutes - feeding pigeons in the capital with bread rolls is not a good idea. Especially not for children. Here's why.
Pigeon poo = danger to life?
Capital city pigeons spread a range of diseases that, although rare, can be dangerous to humans. Most of the infections are spread by pigeon droppings, which a child doesn't even have to put in their mouth to get infected. Dried pigeon droppings are carried on the wind in the form of dust, which is how we ingest the bacteria.
These infections are particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, pregnant women and young children: urban pigeon droppings can spread more than 50 different types of infection. Lung disease, diarrhoea, meningitis Histoplasmosis is a serious respiratory disease in which infectious microscopic fungi attack the lungs.
If not recognised and treated, it can be fatal - a real risk, especially in immunocompromised patients, when the pathogen, called histoplasmosis, leaves the lungs and spreads to other organs throughout the body. Fortunately, this disease is very rare in our country.
Ornithosis, or parrot fever, which gets its name from the fact that it is spread by bird droppings, can also be fatal. It causes pneumonia with conjunctivitis and flu-like symptoms, which can be treated with antibiotics if detected early enough.
Another lung disease is avian TB, also known as fowl tuberculosis, which is caused by a close relative of the bacterium that causes human TB. Human TB (for which we get the BCG vaccine) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while avian TB is caused by Mycobactrerium avium.
Fortunately, avian TB is indeed primarily a disease of birds and is rarely transmitted to humans. However, it is mainly in children that M. avium has been reported following oral infection.
Salmonellosis is a more common and well-known disease, with symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach pain and fever. The risk of salmonella infection in young children is dehydration, otherwise it is a treatable disease with antibiotics and monitoring of fluid and ion intake.
The Salmonella pathogen lives mainly in the intestines of animals, including birds, and can be caught by eating them. This is why it is the children who put everything in their mouths and toddle around that may be at risk.
Hydration is the most important thing, but with what? And when should I take him to the doctor? There's a shortage of rotavirus vaccines, but don't worry, our guide will tell you.
Another rare but dangerous pathogen is the fungus Cryptococcus, which is inhaled from dried pigeon droppings. It settles in the lungs and, in a healthy immune person, it does not spread from there and does not cause serious harm. However, in immunocompromised or immunodeficiency syndrome, it is not uncommon for it to cause severe meningitis.
Overall, pigeons are no more of a threat to humans than other urban stray animals such as dogs and cats, but it is important to be aware of their role. As you can see, these pathogens are particularly dangerous when the immune system of the infected person is weakened.
In other words, our acorn-healthy child is unlikely to be harmed by running around with urban pigeons. However, congenital immune deficiency diseases or chemotherapy treatment for tumours, for example, can weaken the immune system so much that it cannot fight these pathogens - so when we feed the pigeons, we should think of these people.
It is also forbidden and not good for the pigeon
Feeding pigeons is banned in the capital. This means that if you are caught feeding pigeons, you could be fined tens of thousands of forints. I have never seen or heard of a case of a policeman catching a child throwing crumbs, but the rule still exists: if we encourage our children to feed pigeons, we encourage them to break the rules.
As local authorities decide by local ordinance to ban or allow pigeon-laying, it is not for the police but for the local authority. In other words, anyone who does not want pigeons to be fed in their neighbourhood can report it to the relevant notary for blatant anti-social behaviour. The fine can be up to 50,000 HUF.
But pigeon feeding is not only prohibited for hygiene reasons. It also protects pigeons, which do not naturally feed on breadcrumbs. Pigeons that eat too much bread are more prone to intestinal diseases, and a one-sided diet predisposes them to other diseases. Also.
https://divany.hu/szuloseg/2018/05/04/gyerek-csalad-galamb-egeszseg-betegseg/#:~:text=Mellesleg%20tilos%2C%20és%20a%20galambnak,kap%2C%20több%20tízezer%20forintra%20büntethet.
Fortunately it didn't turn into a big fuss, as it's virtually impossible to get the pigeons in the capital to move away properly: no matter how hard my kids tried, they walked ten centimetres away and kept eating the competition's crumbs.
Although feeding pigeons seems like a cute idea at first - we love animals and the kid will keep himself quiet for at least ten minutes - feeding pigeons in the capital with bread rolls is not a good idea. Especially not for children. Here's why.
Pigeon poo = danger to life?
Capital city pigeons spread a range of diseases that, although rare, can be dangerous to humans. Most of the infections are spread by pigeon droppings, which a child doesn't even have to put in their mouth to get infected. Dried pigeon droppings are carried on the wind in the form of dust, which is how we ingest the bacteria.
These infections are particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, pregnant women and young children: urban pigeon droppings can spread more than 50 different types of infection. Lung disease, diarrhoea, meningitis Histoplasmosis is a serious respiratory disease in which infectious microscopic fungi attack the lungs.
If not recognised and treated, it can be fatal - a real risk, especially in immunocompromised patients, when the pathogen, called histoplasmosis, leaves the lungs and spreads to other organs throughout the body. Fortunately, this disease is very rare in our country.
Ornithosis, or parrot fever, which gets its name from the fact that it is spread by bird droppings, can also be fatal. It causes pneumonia with conjunctivitis and flu-like symptoms, which can be treated with antibiotics if detected early enough.
Another lung disease is avian TB, also known as fowl tuberculosis, which is caused by a close relative of the bacterium that causes human TB. Human TB (for which we get the BCG vaccine) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while avian TB is caused by Mycobactrerium avium.
Fortunately, avian TB is indeed primarily a disease of birds and is rarely transmitted to humans. However, it is mainly in children that M. avium has been reported following oral infection.
Salmonellosis is a more common and well-known disease, with symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach pain and fever. The risk of salmonella infection in young children is dehydration, otherwise it is a treatable disease with antibiotics and monitoring of fluid and ion intake.
The Salmonella pathogen lives mainly in the intestines of animals, including birds, and can be caught by eating them. This is why it is the children who put everything in their mouths and toddle around that may be at risk.
Hydration is the most important thing, but with what? And when should I take him to the doctor? There's a shortage of rotavirus vaccines, but don't worry, our guide will tell you.
Another rare but dangerous pathogen is the fungus Cryptococcus, which is inhaled from dried pigeon droppings. It settles in the lungs and, in a healthy immune person, it does not spread from there and does not cause serious harm. However, in immunocompromised or immunodeficiency syndrome, it is not uncommon for it to cause severe meningitis.
Overall, pigeons are no more of a threat to humans than other urban stray animals such as dogs and cats, but it is important to be aware of their role. As you can see, these pathogens are particularly dangerous when the immune system of the infected person is weakened.
In other words, our acorn-healthy child is unlikely to be harmed by running around with urban pigeons. However, congenital immune deficiency diseases or chemotherapy treatment for tumours, for example, can weaken the immune system so much that it cannot fight these pathogens - so when we feed the pigeons, we should think of these people.
It is also forbidden and not good for the pigeon
Feeding pigeons is banned in the capital. This means that if you are caught feeding pigeons, you could be fined tens of thousands of forints. I have never seen or heard of a case of a policeman catching a child throwing crumbs, but the rule still exists: if we encourage our children to feed pigeons, we encourage them to break the rules.
As local authorities decide by local ordinance to ban or allow pigeon-laying, it is not for the police but for the local authority. In other words, anyone who does not want pigeons to be fed in their neighbourhood can report it to the relevant notary for blatant anti-social behaviour. The fine can be up to 50,000 HUF.
But pigeon feeding is not only prohibited for hygiene reasons. It also protects pigeons, which do not naturally feed on breadcrumbs. Pigeons that eat too much bread are more prone to intestinal diseases, and a one-sided diet predisposes them to other diseases. Also.
https://divany.hu/szuloseg/2018/05/04/gyerek-csalad-galamb-egeszseg-betegseg/#:~:text=Mellesleg%20tilos%2C%20és%20a%20galambnak,kap%2C%20több%20tízezer%20forintra%20büntethet.
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