Sajida Perveen (sajidaoric@gmail.com), Visiting Faculty, Institute of Agricultural Extension, Education and Rural Development, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
Technical Editor VAV: C-Neen-Zaheer,
Technical Review by: Prof. Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery University of Agriculture
Keeping pigeons and fancy birds is a common pastime in almost every neighborhood of Pakistan. It’s a hobby and there is no prohibition of it even from a religious point of view. Nonetheless, there is always a fear of some diseases being transmitted from pigeons and fancy birds to humans. The three diseases given vide infra transmissible from pigeons and other birds to other animals and humans are of great importance. Generally, these diseases affect people who are immunosuppressed due to any reason (e.g. old age, use of corticosteroid and other immunosuppressant agent, poor nutrition). Another common denominator is that their germs are found in the intestines of pigeons and other birds and are excreted from the body with their droppings and become dust-borne on drying. They become embedded in the lungs of humans and animals and may potentially reach other organs.
1) Cryptococcosis: This disease is caused by a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans found in the intestines of pigeons and other birds. This disease can also affect cats, dogs, cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats etc. Although, the germ of this disease is common in pigeons and other birds, but the carrier birds are bereft of any symptoms of this disease. In humans and other animals, this disease affects the lungs, skin, eyes and nervous system. Transmission usually occurs through aerosols and direct contact. Occasional, this fungus also causes mastitis (inflammation of milk producing organ of the body) in cows, buffaloes and goats etc.
2) Histoplasmosis: The cause of this disease is also a fungus, whose scientific name is Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungus exists in the feces of birds and bats and reaches human and other animals through air-borne dust created on drying of droppings of birds and bats. Fungus-laden droppings of birds and bats are suspended in the dust on drying and reach the lungs of human and other animals through inhalation. A scrutiny of scientific literature would indicate that histoplasmosis is endemic in Pakistani peoples and sporadic cases occur every now and then. Histoplasmosis affects mainly the lungs. In the vast majority of infected humans, infection is bereft of any overt clinical manifestation. A small proportion of infected humans show fever, cough, pain in chest, difficulty in respiration and inflammation of lymph nodes. In immunocompromised humans, histoplasmosis can metastasize (spread of the disease from one part of the body to another) to other organs of the body (e.g. liver, adrenal glands) and rarely culminate in death.
3) Psittacosis; Psittacosis is an important disease found in pigeons, ducks, parrots, poultry and other birds. It is caused by the bacterium called Chlamydophila psittaci. This germ is excreted from the bodies of infected birds in their droppings and nasal secretion and thus contaminates the ground. Upon drying of droppings and nasal secretions, it becomes air-borne in the dust and gets access to the lungs of birds and humans causing them to suffer from this disease. Fever, diarrhea, runny nose and watery discharge from the eyes are the main symptoms of this disease in birds. In humans, the disease manifests itself as high fever, muscle aches, malaise, diarrhea, headache, inflammation of the heart and spleen, and pneumonia. In humans. this disease can fatal sometimes, however, doxycycline and other similar antibiotics are quite effective in its treatment. The pathogen of this disease is a tool of biological warfare. The following precautions are recommended to prevent the transmission of these diseases from pigeons and other birds to humans:
- a) Clean the bird cages daily with utmost care. Do not allow birds and bats droppings to come in contact with human and animal body.
- b) Wear disposable gloves, boots, masks and plastic coverall while cleaning birds’ cages. Dispose of birds’ droppings and other garbage after collection in strong plastic bags.
- c) Before cleaning the cages, sprinkle water mixed with a disinfectant (such as phenyl) on them to clean the cages and surroundings of the birds. Do not create dust during cleaning
- d) Keep sick birds away from humans especially children.
Do keep pigeons and other birds, but remember, caution is better than cure. After all, discretion is the better part of valor.