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Diseases from Pigeons and their Feces

Don’t We All Wonder What Diseases Can Pigeon Waste Carry? - Pigeon waste is not only extremely unsightly it can also cause damage to buildings and cars due to its uric acid content and may also pose a threat to the health of humans and other animals. Many of us have wondered what diseases can pigeon waste carry – the answer is several. When clearing away pigeon fecal matter and other associated waste and mess it is essential to wear a mask, gloves, and protective clothing in order to prevent contamination from any diseased waste matter. There are three main diseases that humans may contract from pigeon waste - histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis. Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus growing within the pigeon waste; this disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another and may not exhibit any symptoms. Cryptococcosis is also a fungal infection that poses little if any risk to healthy individuals – anyone with a compromised immune system however is at risk from this infection. Psittacosis is a rare infection normally affecting parrots but also known to affect pigeons, once droppings have dried they may become airborne making inhalation a risk, the infection is characterized by flu like symptoms accompanied by a rash and is easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

What Is The Best Way To Clean Pigeon Droppings Up? -Pigeons are messy creatures – and, because they live in large groups, where there are pigeons there is generally a huge amount of mess. The uric acid in pigeon feces, which give them their characteristic white color, is harmful to buildings and cars as well as being unsightly. Pigeon droppings may also carry bacteria that are harmful to humans including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis – although most experts agree that the chances of becoming infected is minimal at best. When cleaning up the mess left by pigeons it is essential to wear protective clothing, a mask, and gloves. Cleaning of buildings can be done with a bucket, scrubbing brush, and disinfectant – but this of course depends on the amount of waste and mess present. Dried droppings can be scraped from the surface of the building using a paint scraper or similar tool – dried fecal matter is more hazardous than fresh droppings due to the dust it will release when disturbed, in order to avoid this it may be wise to spray the area with hot water prior to cleaning. If the amount of pigeon waste you are faced with is considerable you may need to employ the services of a specialist cleaning company – this is also the case if access to the waste is problematic. A specialist cleaning company will be fully equipped and have the correct health and safety measures in place in order to deal with large amounts of pigeon waste.

Beware Of Pigeon Droppings Disease - Having pigeons in your home can be more than an annoyance; it can also be hazardous to your health. It is probable that pigeon droppings diseases can easily be spread, so you should make sure you remove the pigeons and that you protect your hands when you clean the droppings. One of the diseases that can affect you is histoplasmosis which does not come directly from the droppings, but from the fungus that can grow on it. The symptoms include chest pains, fatigue, and headaches. The disease can be more likely to appear on people with an immune system that is compromised. Another disease that could be called a pigeon droppings disease is cryptococcosis. This is another disease that develops due to the fungus. Cryptococcosis is not a disease that a healthy person will get. The compromised immune systems are more likely to get the disease and high exposure is necessary. A business or house that had pigeons for a long time is likely to have a lot of droppings; therefore it is also more likely to affect a person with a weakened immune system. If you think you are at risk then you should hire someone else to do the cleaning.

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