Pigeons may look harmless, and feeding bread crumbs may seem entertaining, but do you know these cute, innocent-looking birds are hazardous. The pigeons carry many diseases, and primarily their droppings transmit many diseases and viruses to humans. And this is the reason that pigeons are often referred to as “rats with wings”. The pigeon droppings should be dealt with very carefully, and with all the precautions taken still, there are chances that the fungus and bacteria can transmit from pigeon droppings to humans. So the efficient way of pigeon control is birth control. The pigeon reproduces almost 400 offspring within two years, making it very difficult to control pigeon problems. But birth control is useful because the fewer the pigeons, the fewer efforts will be required to keep them away from your property and houses.
Do Pigeons carry Diseases?
Many people are concerned about this. Is it true that pigeons carry and transmit diseases, or is it just a myth? The research shows that yes! The pigeons carry diseases, and their droppings are a significant source of spreading fungus, bacteria, and viruses to humans. Moreover, pigeons not only carry diseases, but they also carry bird mites.
What diseases can pigeons carry?
Among all the pesky birds, the pigeons are on top in spreading the pathogens to humans. The pigeons nest in their droppings, and their droppings are highly contaminated. As pigeons’ droppings are gathered at one place, it attracts the mites who further spread them to human beings.
The pigeon’s droppings spread a number of diseases, and the most common of them are as follows:
Psittacosis:
It is also called parrot fever. It is a rare disease and is found in parrots and other birds like parrots, but this disease can affect pigeons. When Psittacosis infects a bird, droppings dried out and become airborne, the humans inhale this air, and they get infected with Psittacosis. After 7 to 14 days of inhaling the fungus, the symptoms start to appear in humans. The symptoms may include fever, headache, dry cough, chills, muscle ache, and in some cases, it can also result in pneumonia. This disease is curable and does not transmit from one person to another. The people who are at the most risk to catch this disease are the pet shop owners or the employees, people who have pet pigeons or parrots, and those who have already compromised immunity.
Histoplasmosis:
Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus that is found in the pigeon’s droppings and the soil. This disease affects the lungs of the infected person. It does not transmit if someone occasionally cleans the pigeon droppings. If someone has regular and prolonged exposure to the pigeon droppings, this fungus transmits to that person. The common symptoms are fever, cough, chest pain, and fatigue. Usually, the symptoms appear after 1 to 3 weeks of getting the infection. Sometimes, people with a healthy immune system do not even need any medications, and the disease gets cured by itself, but the people who already have a weak immune system are at high risk and need proper treatment.
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcosis is also a fungal disease and is found in pigeons dropping and the soil. This disease also affects the lungs. Like histoplasmosis, the same is the case with cryptococcosis; only those need medication who have a compromised immune system.
E-coli:
When the pigeon dropping falls in the water and any food source, it contaminates the water and the food. This contaminated water and food, when consumed by humans, causes E-coli disease. The symptoms of E-coli are fever, cramps, and nausea. This disease can be avoided by covering the waterpots properly and by washing the food thoroughly.
Salmonellosis:
Salmonellosis is commonly known as “Food Poisoning”. When the pigeon’s droppings get dried, they become dust and blown away with air, and that air contaminates the food. When the contaminated food is consumed, it causes nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and stomach flu in severe cases.
Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a fungus, and it is the most isolated yeast found in the pigeon’s droppings that have been collected from the public squares. Candidiasis is a respiratory disease, and it is caused when contaminated water and food are consumed. The candidiasis yeast is naturally present on human skin and inside the body, especially in wet places like the mouth, gut, and urogenital tract of women. Still, the contaminated water and food disturb the natural balance of this yeast and cause fungal infection.
St. Louis encephalitis:
When a mosquito feeds on a pigeon that carries a pathogen, it transfers to the mosquitoes and then transmitted to the humans by the mosquitoes. The St. Louis encephalitis causes inflammation of the nervous system and is very dangerous, especially for over 60 years. The symptoms of these diseases are headache, fever, and drowsiness.
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