Ecology of life. Health: Today once again I watched how children squeeze pigeons and crawl in their droppings, joyful and dangerously careless. So I decided to give a warning...
People perceive pigeons in different ways: some - for (a symbol of peace, love, without human support they will die); others - against ("flying rats", importunate, unscrupulous, carriers of infection).
Today once again I watched how children squeeze pigeons and crawl in their droppings, joyful and dangerously careless. Therefore, I decided to warn you that city pigeons can pose a serious threat to your health, as they are carriers of many infectious diseases. Even worse, pigeon feces are a source of infection and inhaling them is no less dangerous than direct contact with pigeons.
And one pigeon is 12 kilograms of feces per year! This seemingly harmless bird can be a carrier of 90 pathogens of many diseases, including ten zoonotic infections (zoonoses), that is, those that are transmitted to humans from animals.
Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are called zoonoses. The causative agents of these diseases can be protozoa, fungi, bacteria, chlamydia and viruses. Individual susceptibility to them in each person depends on the state of the immune system, age, health status and other factors.
ornithosis
Ornithosis (also known as psittacosis or parrot disease) is a bacterial infection that most commonly affects parrots and parrots, but occasionally occurs in other birds, including pigeons. A person can become infected with ornithosis if he accidentally inhales particles of dried droppings of a sick bird. 10 days after infection, a sick person develops weakness, fever, headache, rash, chills and pneumonia.
Chlamydia psittaci was found in 52.6 percent of the captured pigeons. Infection from this bacterium results in symptoms such as mild flu-like illness and severe pneumonia. Most often, such diseases are recorded in spring and autumn, this is due to a decrease in immunity in young birds and their susceptibility to diseases.
Farm birds (ducks, turkeys), house birds (parrots, budgerigars, canaries and other small songbirds) and especially urban pigeons, the infestation of which ranges from 30% to 80%, are of the greatest epidemic importance.
The causative agent of ornithosis, unlike other chlamydia, is capable of long-term preservation in environment: retains viability at a temperature of 37 ° C for up to 2 days, at 4–6 ° C - for a week; after lyophilization, the pathogen persists for 5 years or more.
The incubation period for ornithosis ranges from 5 to 30 days (usually 10-12 days). At the beginning of the disease, fever with chills and increased sweating, pain in the throat, muscles and joints are characteristic. Conjunctivitis, a thickened tongue with possible imprints of teeth along the edges, often hepatolienal syndrome, emotional disturbances (excitation, irritability, tearfulness) are noted. From 3-4 days of illness, laryngitis or bronchitis, interstitial or small-focal pneumonia with poor physical data develop.
With a special examination for ornithosis in different countries(Bulgaria, Holland, USA, Germany, etc.) found that 10-20% of acute pneumonia has ornithosis etiology. In Moscow, ornithosis was detected in 18.4% of patients with acute pneumonia, in St. Petersburg - in 19.6%.
Doctors note that although seasonal outbreaks of ornithosis are not observed, they still get sick more often in the cold season. This is due to a number of reasons, one of which is the similarity of the symptoms of ornithosis with the symptoms of SARS and common colds, which makes it difficult to make a diagnosis. In addition, in the cold, pigeons stray into large flocks and, therefore, the infection spreads faster. One sick bird can infect an entire flock. And then this sick flock scatters into the city's garbage containers, which are often placed near places where children walk.
Thus, many places appear around the city where you can pick up ornithosis and other diseases. Ornithologist Natalya Obukhova says in this regard that garbage and dirt in cities contribute to a rapid increase in the number of pigeons. No one monitors the bird population in Moscow, and yet the incidence of ornithosis among Muscovites is an order of magnitude higher than the same rabies.
A person is more resistant to ornithosis, but the course of the disease is severe (severe headaches, fever, weakness of the whole organism). It is very similar to influenza and acute respiratory infections. Children catch the infection much more often than adults, as they can touch birds while playing with them. Children need to be supervised and explained to them what troubles can be due to communication with birds.
salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is an intestinal disease caused by numerous pathogens from the genus Salmonella. The main sources of infection are animals, occasionally people. The asymptomatic course of the disease has been established in many species of farm animals, cats, dogs, rodents, and birds.
"The disease does not pose a danger to humans, provided that standard personal hygiene measures are followed and direct contact with a sick bird is excluded. The causative agents of bird flu and psittacosis (an infection that can be transmitted to humans) have not been identified," the committee said.
Common clinical symptoms in all animals include diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. The infection can progress towards dehydration, weakness, and sometimes, especially in the case of very young or very old individuals, death. In severe cases, there may be high fever, septicemia (blood poisoning), headaches, and an enlarged, painful spleen. Focal infections can occur in various organs, including the heart, kidneys, ligaments, pia maters surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and connective tissues surrounding all bones in the body.
The incubation period is 12-36 hours. Salmonella is transmitted by eating food contaminated with droppings. Isolation of bacteria by a sick person can last from several days to several weeks.
Campylobacter jejuni
Until 1972, when a reliable method for their isolation was developed, Campylobacter jejuni was considered pathogenic only in animals (sheep and cattle). However, further research showed their danger to humans. According to the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) - Office for Food Products and US Medicines, Campylobacter jejuni is currently the most common cause bacterial diarrhea in humans. Moreover, C.jejuni causes more cases of disease than Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. taken together.
They are present in most representatives of this bird population and turn out to be more harmful than the well-known Salmonella. Outdoor pigeons serve as reservoirs for the production and growth of varieties of bacteria, hence they can lead to harmful diseases.
Campylobacter jejuni, which was present in 69.1 percent of pigeons caught, causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and general malaise in infected humans. The thermophilic species of Campylobacter are considered the main causative agents of acute diarrheal diseases around the world - and more often than salmonella."
Newcastle infection
With a Newcastle infection, a sick pigeon can also infect a person through the mucous membrane of the eye. True, for a person it is not as dangerous as for a bird, it occurs in the form of a cold, conjunctivitis with swelling of the parotid lymph nodes for one week. Affected may be mainly poultry workers and laboratory workers.
paramyxovirus
So, pigeons are a natural carrier of paramyxoviruses that can spread to poultry: chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, guinea fowls, and even ostriches, emus and rhea. The virus is stable, excreted in pigeon droppings, in which it can exist for about 3-4 weeks. And this means that your soles and even clothes can be a vehicle for viruses.
Because paramyxovirus, although not deadly to humans, is still capable of causing very unpleasant diseases in humans. Alexey Alekseenko, an assistant to the head of the Rosselkhoznadzor, noted that this infection can enter the human body through the mucous membrane of the eye, which will cause symptoms resembling a cold and conjunctivitis with swelling of the parotid lymph nodes within one week. It seems nothing special, but not pleasant enough.
Surface acariases
In addition to the scabies mite, skin lesions in humans can be caused by mites that live on animals and birds (dogs, cats, rats, pigeons), on cereals, in grass and straw, pillow feathers, etc. Most often, people are affected by the scabies mite of horses, rat, chicken and pigeon ticks. The last three types can cause mass destruction in families, hostels. Unlike scabies caused by Sarcoptes hominis, these types of mites do not burrow into the stratum corneum and do not form passages, but only inflict bites that cause severe itching and the formation of papules or blisters in their place, in the center of which punctate hemorrhage or a more intense color is often visible. , serous or hemorrhagic crust, vesicle (bite mark). Elements of a skin rash are found most often in places of close contact of the skin with linen. Ticks are found in underwear and bedding, indoors.
Avian tuberculosis, which can also infect humans, is caused by Mycobacterium avium, similar to the classic human tuberculosis mycobacteria. Infection occurs through water and food contaminated with bird down.
Mycobacterium infects the human respiratory and lymphatic system, causing local infectious wounds. In people with immunodeficiency, the process is generalized, and death is possible. Mycobacterium avium is often resistant to antibacterial and anti-tuberculosis drugs, which makes it difficult to select therapy.
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by fungi that grow on pigeon droppings or in the soil and is not transmitted from person to person. If a person cleaning surfaces from pigeon droppings accidentally inhales enough fungi, then he will get histoplasmosis. If you only clean the window sill from pigeon droppings from time to time, then you have nothing to fear. 10 days after contact with the fungi, weakness, fever and chest pain may appear, but most of the disease begins asymptomatically. The highest risk is in people with weak immunity: HIV-infected or suffering from cancer.
Cryptosporodiosis
A disease caused by a protozoan (genus Cryptosporidium). In birds, the pathogen affects the pulmonary system, and in humans, the gastrointestinal system. Infection occurs by the fecal-oral route - through the consumption of foods contaminated with oocysts. The disease is manifested by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (watery stools up to 15 times a day), abdominal pain, weakness. Recovery usually occurs within 10 days.
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcosis, like histoplasmosis, is caused by fungi that grow in bird droppings or in the soil. Completely healthy people rarely get cryptococcosis, even if they inhale a large number of mushrooms. Almost always, people with immune defects suffer from this infection, 85% of people with cryptococcosis are HIV-infected patients.
In a normal situation, for example, when you just need to wipe the window sill from dirt, it is almost impossible to get infected. Simple protective measures are sufficient: wear rubber gloves and work clothes. If more contaminated surfaces are to be cleaned, such as attics, roofs, or any other pigeon habitat where a lot of bird droppings have accumulated, then appropriate work clothes, rubber boots, gloves and respirators should be worn, especially for immunocompromised people. Wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after finishing work.
Allergic alveolitis
Allergic alveolitis is one of the main zoonotic diseases of birds. The disease can occur in acute, subacute and chronic forms. Clinical signs of the disease are hypersensitivity to feathers, dander, or dung dust due to reduced lung capacity. There is inflammation of the alveoli, the lung structures responsible for air exchange.
The acute form of the disease is usually initiated by excessive contact of a sensitive person with certain circumstances, for example, cleaning the dovecote, attic. Symptoms occur almost immediately and include cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and chills. If at this stage the person ceases contact with the bird, then the symptoms disappear and the person does not need special treatment.
These insects can get into the apartments of our residents. In addition, pigeon litter contains a lot of uric acid. This is also very harmful substance. The fact is that birds do not excrete urea, but uric acid, which, evaporating, primarily has a negative effect on the upper respiratory tract. It irritates them, and in asthmatics it can even cause attacks.
4. Do not feed pigeons from balconies.5. Inspect attics sanitizing them from pigeons.
6. Remove pigeon droppings in a respirator and overalls! beware pigeon droppings(and the land that may be polluted by it) no less than the birds themselves.
7. Stay away from sick pigeons. If you notice liquid droppings or at least one of the birds with such symptoms: disheveled, lethargic, with crooked fingers or paws, with faded or glued, as if wet, plumage, with split feathers, as if they were trimmed with small scissors, then immediately leave ! You shouldn't tempt fate.
8. Don't pick up sick pigeons. They are usually much less mobile than healthy ones, live alone, without a pack (which drives them out due to the danger of infection), and look quite pathetic. Often, precisely for this reason, they fall into the hands of children and old women with a good heart.
9. Of course, you will enrich your shoes and clothes with viruses if you climb into the attic, where city pigeons live, you will move boxes and other things there. Water from puddles, asphalt on the road, polluted by birds - all this is the source of the virus.
British government services recommend that when a dead pigeon is found, do not take it with your bare hands - it is advisable to pack it in a double bag and throw it in the trash or bury it (without a bag) in the ground. If you leave this work to your janitor, advise him to put on disposable gloves, which you don’t mind throwing away later. Otherwise, the janitor himself will become the carrier of the infection. published
Garden paths, sidewalks, patios with a surface of paving slabs is the most popular holiday destination in every household, it is the place where most people enjoy their time with family, friends and relatives. However, we are not always on the patio, and during our absence, birds can be located on the wires and protruding surfaces of the patio, the result of which is the discovery in the morning bird droppings and sometimes a lot. Sometimes, birds can bring various berries, and other types of food that can easily get dirty. concrete paving slabs in the allotment. Fortunately knowing correct technique cleaning, you can easily get rid of bird droppings and third-party stains on paving slabs.
Instructions for cleaning bird droppings from concrete paving slabs:
Necessary materials and tools: spatula or scraper (hard brush or broom with hard bristles), "Just Green", detergent soft action, plastic bucket, hot water, rag, garden hose, hose nozzle. First you need to clean up excess droppings with a spatula or scraper. Be sure to remove any excess droppings, and the same goes for third party trash. If laid sandstone paving stone, the use of a spatula is excluded.
Soaking stains on paving stones
Mix a small amount of Just Green cleaner or mild detergent in a bucket of hot water, stir until completely dissolved. Splash the mixture of water and detergent onto the bird droppings, then dampen a rag with the same cleaning mixture. Lay a rag soaked in the cleaning mixture on top of the bird droppings and leave it like that for an hour impact on paving slabs. Remember that you must perform this action out of sunlight, otherwise the rag may dry out and you will not get the desired effect.
scraping
Use a brush with bronze bristles (not metal) and scrub off particularly stubborn stains of bird droppings. Clean the paving slabs with a garden hose when you're done. Repeat the cleaning process paving slabs with another cleaning agent if the first one applied did not work well enough to meet your expectations.
washing machine high pressure
Using a high pressure washer. If all else fails to clean the paving slabs, use a high pressure washer set to low pressure to try and clean up the remaining bird dropping stains. This method must be treated very carefully and monitor the pressure, as well as the cleaning technique. The fact is that a high pressure washer can easily damage the integrity of laying paving slabs and mortar seams, if any. You need to find out from the hardware store the appropriate power for paving slabs before inadvertently applying washing machine high pressure.
You must be careful about the detergents you choose, and especially chemical composition inside them. Test the cleaning solution on a less visible area of the tile to make sure the detergent is not discoloring the pavers. If so, use only hot water. You can use a construction cloth or tarp to cover the sidewalk area afterward to avoid re-cleaning.
I had vague memories of whiteness from my childhood, in the early 90s there were already bleaching powders, but my grandmother continued to actively use whiteness for bleaching and disinfecting linen. Modern means have successfully ousted this product from our everyday life for more than 20 years and now this wonderful whiteness is again in my house and I can’t get enough of this remedy The story of how the whiteness helped get the pigeons out of the balcony and clean it up .
Preface. We moved to another city and rent an apartment with a balcony. I went out to the balcony probably once a year, there is simply no need for it, especially since it is not glazed and there is a lot of rubbish from the owners and previous tenants .... And now we began to be attracted by the cooing of pigeons, everything waking us up in the mornings earlier and before ... Looking out onto the balcony, we saw that a couple made a nest with us and laid two eggs) Well, we thought that it was not good to destroy the nest and kill, and what if the chicks had already formed there ... WHAT THE SAME WAS MISTAKE. ...! If you have a nest on your balcony - feel free to ruin it and throw it away !!! Otherwise, YOU WILL BE THROUGH WHAT WE PASSED THROUGH .....
Pigeons took turns incubating eggs, cooing and which one is right on our balcony. But this is half the trouble. How the chicks hatched (at first they look like chickens, just as yellow, and then what a scary kapets) we were touched - that's it, household What fools we were....
The pigeons were growing. More and more cooing. They ate more and more. AND EVERYTHING MORE POAK. Two months passed from the moment they hatched to the moment they began to take off. They began to run around the balcony and shit. Take off and crap from above. They pulled the whole nest. We fenced them a little with what was on the balcony, but this did not help much .... It began to smell if you put the balcony door on airing ... And so they began to fly away more and more and after two and a half months they were gone for several days. And then I started to act. armed with gloves, a mask, bags and a broom with a mop .... I cleaned for two hours. I threw out all the old rubbish, and the nest, and washed the balcony from the remnants of life. WHITENESS did a great job cleaning and disinfecting the former dove settlement....
But it wasn't there. Parents-pigeons began to fly to our balcony, they have already got used to us and began to train branches for a new nest. But then my patience ran out. I just poured white onto the balcony twice (with a break of a few days) when the pigeons were there, apparently they can not stand this smell. And that's it. Silence. Purity. Order. Freshness
That's how Whiteness helped save us from the doves
No vehicle is immune to bird poop contamination. The faster you act, the less damage the litter will do to the paintwork (LCP). We will give you good advice: how to clean up bird droppings without damaging your car paint.
So let's look at 10 methods for removing bird droppings from a car body, as well as a few tips on how to prevent it.
Bird droppings can be very harmful to car paint because they contain uric acid, which quickly damages the first coat of paint, and if left untreated, the acid can reach the paint, leaving marks that are difficult to remove.
Bird droppings are also composed of solid particles that, when dried, can scratch the paint if you try to clean the surface without due care.
How to remove fresh bird droppings
If the stain is fresh, just wash it off. big amount water and wipe the area with a clean cloth. If you do not have access to clean water, a good alternative is windshield wiper fluid. Remove the supply tube from the nozzle, wrap it with a clean cloth, dampen it well, and then proceed to cleaning.
When the excrement is fresh, you can also rinse it off with mineral water, then wipe it with a clean cloth. A mixture of water and carbon dioxide will not harm the paint vehicle, but will help break down chemicals in bird excretions.
How to remove dried litter
If the litter has had time to dry, it should be softened. To do this, cover the area with a damp cloth, pour plenty of water over it, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then gently slide the cloth to completely remove the dirt. It is important not to wipe or clean this area with a dirty cloth to avoid scratching the paint. If there is a stain left, you can try polishing it. Remember, the sooner you get started, the better.
Using pressurized water is another way to get rid of excrement easily. Washing systems from Kärcher are here to help you.
Another tip is to use WD-40, but this product should only be applied to painted areas of the car and not to glass or plastic moldings, as its ingredients can damage these materials. Let the product work for a minute to soften the droppings, and then gently remove the dirt with a rag. Wipe away any residue of this product with another damp and clean cloth.
It is best to use damp microfiber cloths. Avoid cleaning up bird droppings by scraping them with hard objects. It is convenient to use toilet paper or paper towels.
How to protect your car from bird droppings
One way to at least somehow reduce the likelihood of such car pollution by birds is to avoid parking under trees, wires, street lamps.
Polishing and waxing the car several times a year will create protective layer LKP. The treated coating is easier and faster to remove litter. In addition, the paint will be better protected from uric acid, which is found in bird excrement.
Tell your friends about the article: after all, it can be useful not only for you
Many car enthusiasts try to keep their car clean both inside and out. Who doesn't love the shine of a washed car!? But the whole mood after washing is often spoiled by birds, whose droppings can cross out all your efforts. Unfortunately, getting rid of bird droppings from the car body and windows is not as easy as it seems. In addition, there is a risk of damaging the paintwork car. What to do if your car is "marked" by birds? There are a few things you need to consider in order to make the bird droppings cleaning process easy and safe.
The most important thing is not to allow bird droppings for a long time was on the surface of the car body. It is advisable to remove it as soon as possible. Especially do not keep the car in the sun in this case. The fact is that in any bird droppings there is uric acid, which can corrode car paint, which, you know,.
If the litter on the car body is fresh, then you can simply remove the contamination with ordinary mineral soda water (seltzer) and a microfiber cloth (towels, napkins, etc.). Thanks to carbonated water, a carbonization process occurs, due to which the chemicals of the litter on the surface of the body are converted (split).
Never use paper towels, paper napkins, or an old bath towel as they do not pick up dirt and may not only leave fibers on the surface of the body, but also scratch the paintwork of the car.
You can also buy special wipes for removing bird droppings, which are sold in some auto shops and hypermarkets. Although we have not tested them personally, the reviews on the web are quite positive.
However, all these tips are relevant only if the bird has dirty your car recently and the droppings have not yet dried. Unfortunately, most often it is not possible to remove pollution by the above methods, since motorists either delay with an unpleasant occupation, or notice characteristic spots on the body when the litter is already dry.
In this case, you'd better buy a special cleaner that can handle bird droppings. It is best to purchase an all-purpose body cleaner at any auto shop or grocery hypermarket, which easily removes many types of dirt. Including bird droppings.
In order to use it to clean the body of the car from bird droppings, apply the cleaner to a microfiber cloth and place the soaked cloth on the spot for at least 10 minutes, after applying a small amount of the product to the droppings itself. Next, wait for the cleaner to break down the chemicals in the dried manure, then remove the dirt.
