When you think about all of the potentially dangerous and destructive animals that could make their way inside your home or cottage, your mind probably goes straight to disease-infested mice and rats, destructive squirrels, and rabies-infected raccoons. But birds and bats can be just as dangerous to your health—if not more so.
If you have birds or bats living in your attic, don’t ignore the problem. Here are some of the dangers that they bring to your home, your family, and your pets.
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis may be the biggest risk to your heath when it comes to birds and bats. These types of animals carry the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum in their feces. If you inhale the airborne spores, you could become infected with histoplasmosis, which can be a serious and even deadly lung infection. The disease can cause blood abnormalities, pneumonia, high fever, and death. A potentially blinding eye condition presumed to be ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS) may also result from the fungus.
Histoplasmosis can affect both animals and humans, so anyone or anything living in your home can be at risk. The risk is greater when the droppings are enriched for years—this allows the disease organism to reach significantly high levels.
Infection usually occurs when a roost or bat guano has been disturbed, usually during clean-up or restoration of the area.
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcosis is another disease fungus, with yeast-like cells, that is found in the accumulation of bird droppings, typically around roosting and nesting sites like your attic. Pigeon droppings are the most likely cause. And even old and dry bird droppings can cause infection.
Though many cryptococcosis infections are mild and without symptoms, people with compromised immune systems can be hit harder. There are two main causes that can affect humans. One generalized, systemic form begins with a lung infection and then spreads to other parts of the body, including the central nervous system. It is usually lethal if left untreated. The other form is cutaneous in nature. It is characterized by acne-like skin ulcers or eruptions. The cutaneous form, however, is quite rare without the presence of the generalized form.
Psittacosis
Another disease that can be carried by some birds is psittacosis, which is caused by a gram-negative bacterium called Chlamydia psittaci. The disease is spread through the inhalation of dried secretion from infected animals, such as turkeys, ducks, pet birds, and pigeons.
Though usually mild in nature, serious illness can occur. Infection can lead to fever, muscle aches, chills, a dry cough, and pneumonia. Endocarditis, neurological complications, and hepatitis can also occur.
Encephalitis Viruses
Birds can also spread encephalitis viruses to humans, including the West Nile virus.
Rabies
Approximately five percent of bats submitted for testing are infected with the rabies virus. The risk of contracting rabies from bats is unique compared to other animals. While other wildlife will quickly start to show symptoms of the disease and eventually die from it, a bat can be infected and continue to live a full life. Therefore, there is no way for you to be able to distinguish an infected bat from its non-infected counterparts.
Most bats will attempt to bite if handled—like when you try to remove them from your home—and this can lead to a risk of rabies, even if you do not realize that the bat is infected.
Ticks, Mites and Other Parasites
Birds and bats can also infect your home with a wide variety of ticks, mites, and parasites. For example, pigeons can bring in the pigeon nest bug, bats can bring in the bat bug, and other birds can bring in the northern fowl mite, soft ticks, biting lice, carpet beetles, and more. These parasites can live for several weeks after the animals are removed from the home, causing you a new problem to deal with.
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