About Bird Diseases in Humans
Zoonotic diseases are illnesses that animals can transmit to humans, and birds are responsible for more than 60 of them. The infectious agents that birds can spread are either protozoal, fungal, bacterial, chlamydial or viral. The seriousness of these diseases and infections varies with the victim's age, immunity status, health status and stage at which the disease is detected. It also depends on the organism's virulence, exposure time and the route of infection.
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Chlamydiosis
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This unusual bacterial organism affects more than 100 species of birds worldwide. It is a major problem with turkeys, pigeons and parrots in the United States; in Europe, ducks and geese carry it, as well.
The disease is airborne, and you can become infected by inhaling fecal dust. Human-to-human infection also can occur, mainly through saliva. The disease manifests as a feverish respiratory illness; severe cases may present with enlarged spleen, reduced heart rate or an inflamed heart. Chlamydiosis has an incubation period of four to 15 days and is treatable with tetracycline.
Salmonellosis
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You can get salmonellosis by ingesting food contaminated with fecal matter from the carrier bird or by eating uncooked eggs that have been infected. Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Infection can progress to dehydration and is sometimes fatal for the very young or the very old. Incubation is six to 72 hours, and treatment includes fluids and electrolytes.
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Colibacillosis
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This is more commonly known as E. Coli, which inhabits the intestinal tracts of all animals. Infections from eating contaminated poultry may cause blood poisoning (septicemia), chronic respiratory disease, inflammation of the joints, pericarditis (fluid around the heart) and inflammation of the fallopian tubes. Symptoms of the disease are diarrhea, fever and shock. E. Coli is transmitted through food contaminated with fecal matter. The incubation period is 12 hours to five days, and in most cases, the infection is treated with fluids. Severe infections require antibiotics.
Salmonella Arizona
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Salmonella Arizona bacteria are transmitted through contaminated food. Birds carry the disease worldwide, but it's more frequently found in reptiles. Victims suffer from severe diarrhea, and blood poisoning can occur in people with compromised immune systems. The incubation period is six to 72 hours, and treatment includes antibiotics.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
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Outbreaks of this disease can occur in commercially raised chickens, ducks and turkeys. The virus circulates through a mosquito-bird cycle and is transmitted through the blood to humans. Most epidemics occur in late summer, before the first frost, and usually affect people younger than 15 and older than 50. Symptoms include high fever, headache, vomiting, delirium, convulsions and coma. Permanent neurological damage is common in survivors.
Other Diseases Carried by Birds
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Avian tuberculosis is related to the tuberculosis bacteria in humans and is transmitted from birds to people through contaminated food. It's treated with antibiotics, but lymph nodes sometimes must be removed to prevent the spread of infection.
Histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis are both caused by fungus that grows on pigeon droppings. You can be infected if you inhale infected fecal dust. Histoplasmosis can cause blindness. Cryptococcosis begins as a lung infection that may be fatal if untreated.
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References
- Photo Credit Tom Curtis
