
QUICK TIP: Don’t breathe in spores from bird poop when cleaning out a nestbox.
Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by breathing in spores of a fungus (Histoplasma capsulatum) that is often found in bird and bat droppings. People usually get it from breathing in these spores when they become airborne when droppings are disturbed – e.g., when cleaning out a nestbox, chicken coop, etc. In North America, it is more common in the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys, but is also found in parts of Central and South America.
It’s not contagious. Most people who contract histoplasmosis don’t even know it and don’t get sick. But people with compromised immune systems (e.g., because they have HIV, are undergoing cancer chemotherapy, or medications to prevent rejection of organ implants) and infants under the age of 2 can develop serious problems within 3 to 17 days after exposure (acute respiratory distress syndrome, pericarditis, adrenal gland harm, and meningitis.)
Symptoms are flu-like and can include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, dry cough, chest pain and fatigue. Some people get joint pain and a rash. People who have a lung disease like emphysema can develop a chronic illness that may result in weight loss and a bloody cough.
TO PREVENT EXPOSURE: see Cleaning Out Nestboxes
- Wear a mask when cleaning out a nestbox. Put poopy material in a plastic bag, close it up and dispose of it in the trash.
- Spray contaminated areas with water to keep spores from becoming airborne.
MORE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES:
More Information:
- Mayo Clinic info on Histoplasmosis
- Hanta Virus
- Mice and rats in nestboxes
- Problems & Solutions – Predator ID
- Avian (Bird) Flu
- Cleaning out nestboxes
- Fecal Glue in a Nestbox
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