It’s that time of year again? – ?leaves falling, shoppers shopping, allergies acting up and diseases spreading.
What people don’t expect is to come in contact with something that diseases could potentially originate from: bird feces.
Bird defecation isn’t just the nemesis of car windshields; it can also be a serious health issue, according to Courtney Manskey, director of student health services at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
“Anytime you have a collection of feces there could be an issue with a spread of infection,” Manskey, a certified physician assistant said.
Manskey said disease could be spread two ways through bird feces: Histoplasomsis and Cryptococcosis.
Both can be spread through inhaling airborne spores released from bird feces.
“Usually their [Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis’s] infections are mild and people may not show any symptoms,” Manskey said.
“[Histoplasmosis is a] fungal infection that is usually from pigeon droppings,” Manskey said.
Histoplasmosis is infectious when inhaled, and is primarily characterized by an upper respiratory illness, according to Manskey.
According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Web site, Cryptococcosis is similar in that it is also a fungal infection that can be inhaled, but differs in that most healthy people will not become infected; those primarily infected by Cryptococcosis are HIV-positive.
Pigeons are the primary carrier of both fungal infections, according to Manskey.
Ducks, such as the ones at Gee Lake, are normally not carriers of such diseases.
Other diseases potentially spread by birds are the influenza pandemic and avian influenza, more commonly known as the “bird flu.” However, neither is a widespread occurrence.
In fact, only two bird flu cases have been confirmed in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site-one in Virginia in 2002 and the other in New York in 2003.
“I knew about avian flu being transmitted through birds, so I guess I could inhale some of the disease from bird [defecation] if it somehow got in a ventilation system,” undergraduate Anthony Valle said. “But I didn’t know about these diseases.”
Other potential health issues associated with birds include Lyme disease; fleas and ticks, which carry the disease, can be found on birds and other animals, such as dogs and cats.
While the issue may not have the best aroma, it’s certainly not something A&M-C students need to worry about.
Very few people in rural settings ever become infected with such diseases, according to Manskey.
“I’ve never seen anyone with these symptoms,” Manksey said. “Most of these [diseases] would be more common in cities, not really in rural settings.”
According to Manskey, the more important issue is that students make sure they get their vaccination shots for flu season.
Other health issues associated with winter include upper respiratory infections, such as bronchitis and strep throat.
Some students knew of potential health risks regarding birds, but not how they are transmitted through bird feces.