Pigeons are very common animals in all cities, but they can be a danger to human health because they can transmit various diseases, such as zoonosis, such as cryptococcosis or salmonellosis, for example.
However, the transmission of this type of diseases occurs mainly through the faeces and, therefore, although it is not necessary to eliminate the pigeons, care must be taken to avoid direct contact with the stool, in addition, it is important that cities properly clean the stool, because when they dry, they can become dust and eventually be inhaled by people and the infectious agent responsible for the disease can adhere to the lungs and cause Complications.
The main diseases transmitted by pigeons are
Cryptococosis is one of the main diseases transmitted by urban pigeons and is caused by a fungus that lives and develops in the faeces, Cryptococcus neoformans, when the spores of this fungus are inhaled an initial alteration of the lung and as the fungus develops, it spreads to other parts of the body through the bloodstream through the bloodstream , reaches the nervous system and produces meningitis, which is a serious complication of cryptococcosis.
Cryptococcus neoformans is considered an opportunistic fungus, that is, the development of the disease occurs when the immune system is compromised, mainly due to HIV infection, so, depending on the person’s immune system, the disease may or may not develop and a variation in severity.symptoms.
Main symptoms: Symptoms of cryptococcosis vary depending on the degree of damage to the person’s immune system, but the most common are shortness of breath, constant sneezing, nasal discharge, weakness and pain throughout the body.Learn to recognize the symptoms of cryptococcosis.
What to do: It is recommended that the person go to the emergency room to confirm the diagnosis, as the symptoms are similar to many other diseases, including influenza, and therefore treatment, which is done with the use of antifungals such as amphotericin.B or fluconazole for 6 to 10 weeks according to medical advice.
Although salmonellosis is more common after eating poorly washed or poorly prepared foods, transmission of Salmonella bacteria can also occur due to pigeon poo.When stools dry and turn into dust, they can be carried by the wind and trapped in fruits and vegetables that, if not, well washed, can contaminate people.
Main symptoms: Symptoms of salmonellosis are usually gastrointestinal and can manifest as nausea and vomiting for more than 24 hours, severe diarrhea, low fever and constant abdominal pain.
What to do: Most of the time, symptoms improve after 3 days, it is only recommended to rest at home, eat light meals and drink plenty of water.However, if symptoms do not improve, you should see your doctor to start antibiotic treatment and serum administration directly from your vein to avoid dehydration.
Pigeons are one of the most important reservoirs of viruses such as West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis, diseases that can infect the nervous system and cause various symptoms, including loss of consciousness and risk of death.This type of encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitoes, which, after biting pigeons, can bite humans and transmit the virus.
Main symptoms: Symptoms vary by virus and severity, but common symptoms include severe headaches, high fever and seizures.
What to do: It is recommended to go immediately to the emergency room to make the diagnosis and start the appropriate treatment, which usually includes the use of antipyretics, such as acetaminophen and anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine, more information about encephalitis and its treatment.
Escherichia coli, also known as E.coli, is a bacterium that lives in the intestine of humans, but is also present in large amounts in the faeces of pigeons, to avoid this type of infection it is important to wash hands after being in an environment with pigeons, such as parks, for example.
Main symptoms: Therefore, such as salmonellosis, symptoms of E-infection.abdominal pain, excessive fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.Learn how to identify signs of E infection.Coli.
What to do: In many cases Escherichia coli infection can be treated at home with rest, water and light food, however, if symptoms are very severe, if they get worse or if they occur in children or the elderly, it is important to go to the emergency room to start using medications that improve symptoms while the body fights the infection.