Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiseases Birds CarryPotential DiseasesRisks of Droppings & FeathersLowering Risks From FecesSick Bird RisksPreventing Transmission
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Diseases Birds Carry
Potential Diseases
Risks of Droppings & Feathers
Lowering Risks From Feces
Sick Bird Risks
Preventing Transmission
Birds can carry various infectious organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, some of which are transmissible to humans through bird droppings.Contractingzoonoticdiseases (diseases that spread from animals to humans) from birds can occur through direct contact with the birds or their droppings or indirect contact, such as inhaling airborne particles from dried feces or feather dust of infected birds.
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Birds can carry infectious viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases transmissible to humans.Zoonotic diseases, orzoonoses, are infections that pass from animals to humans. While some zoonoses birds carry can cause mild illness in humans, others pose serious public health concerns.
Anyone can contract an infectious disease from birds or bird droppings, but the risk is higher for people who work with birds, as well as children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
Diseases From Bird Droppings
Avian Influenza
Humans can develop an infection when the virus enters their nose, mouth, or eyes after direct contact with infected birds, touching contaminated surfaces, or breathing in air droplets containing the virus. In humans, bird flu causes a respiratory infection ranging from mild to severe and life-threatening.
Psittacosis
The bacteria can spread to humans through direct contact with an infected bird or its feces or through inhalation of airborne particles of bird droppings containing the bacterium. In humans, psittacosis infection can range from mild flu-like symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headaches, and dry cough to severe pneumonia.
Salmonellosis
In humans, salmonellosis causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting that resolve within two to seven days. However, in children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, it can progress to a severe, life-threatening infection.
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Cryptococcosis
If the fungal infectionspreads to the brain, skin, bones, or urinary tract, symptoms can include:
blurred vision, fatigue, fever, excessive night sweating, nausea, confusion, abdominal pain and swelling, petechiae (red spots on the skin), skin rash, loss of appetite, and numbness and tingling.
Histoplasmosis
While most people exposed to these spores do not become ill, some may develop a mild flu-like illness with symptoms like fever, cough, fatigue, chills, headache, and chest pain that resolve within one to two weeks. In people with weakened immune systems, the infection can spread to other body parts and cause more severe illness, including fungal meningitis.
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis symptoms develop within two to 10 days after exposure to the parasite, including severewatery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. The infection typically goes away within one to three weeks but can become chronic or life-threatening in people with weakened immune systems.
Risks of Touching or Being Pooped on
Bird Feathers & Disease RiskBird feathers can carry pathogens that pose health risks to humans, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These can spread through direct contact with contaminated feathers or inhalation of airborne particles on the feathers. Use protective gloves and wash hands thoroughly after handling feathers to help reduce the risk of infection.
Bird Feathers & Disease Risk
Bird feathers can carry pathogens that pose health risks to humans, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These can spread through direct contact with contaminated feathers or inhalation of airborne particles on the feathers. Use protective gloves and wash hands thoroughly after handling feathers to help reduce the risk of infection.
If You Come Into Contact With Bird Feces
Bird feces can carry harmful pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Disease transmission from bird droppings typically occurs through direct contact, ingestion, or inhalation.
Symptoms to Monitor
These symptoms can vary depending on the specific disease contracted. It’s essential to monitor your health and seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms after coming into contact with bird droppings:
Treatment
Treatment for diseases contracted from bird droppings depends on symptom severity and the type of infection (e.g., bacterial or viral). In healthy people, the body’s immune system can effectively fight off mild cases of some zoonotic diseases.
People with weakened immune systems, older adults, children, and those experiencing moderate to severe symptoms may require treatments such as:
If You Come Into Contact With a Sick Bird
Those who work closely with birds, such as veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, poultry farmers, pet bird owners, outdoor workers like landscapers, farmers, and construction workers, and people who spend time in areas with high bird populations, are at increased risk of contracting common zoonotic diseases.
Although the risk of getting an infection from birds is low, it’s still important to practice good hygiene and exercise caution after exposure to sick birds or their droppings.
Birds That Can Carry DiseasesBoth domestic and wild birds can carry diseases that spread to humans, including:ChickensCockatielsDucksGeeseMacawsParakeetsParrotsPigeonsSeagullsTurkeys
Birds That Can Carry Diseases
Both domestic and wild birds can carry diseases that spread to humans, including:ChickensCockatielsDucksGeeseMacawsParakeetsParrotsPigeonsSeagullsTurkeys
Both domestic and wild birds can carry diseases that spread to humans, including:
After contact with a sick bird, it’s important to be vigilant for symptoms of infection, including:
See a healthcare provider promptly if you develop any symptoms after contact or exposure to sick birds.
How to Handle Birds to Prevent Disease Transmission
Proper bird handling can help lower the risk of disease transmission to humans. Whether dealing with pet birds, wild birds, or poultry, certain precautions can help protect both handlers and the birds themselves. These include:
Summary
Birds can carry harmful bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses transmissible to humans. Direct or indirect contact with infected birds or contaminated bird droppings can transmit infectious diseases to humans, causing respiratory or gastrointestinal illnesses.
To prevent infection, avoid touching bird droppings, wash hands thoroughly after contact with birds or their environments, and disinfect contaminated areas. See a healthcare provider if you come into contact with birds or bird droppings and develop symptoms of zoonotic diseases. Most people recover quickly from common bird diseases, but people with weakened immune systems can develop more serious illnesses that require prompt medical attention and treatment.
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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