I’m one of those fortunate people who rarely goes to a doctor except for annual exams. Before I go, I make a list of anything I’ve noticed that’s unusual or could be symptomatic and I lay them all out and ask if they mean anything to him. So far, so good. But this week a couple of the dots connected which I thought worth sharing in light of the current trend for urban chickens.
For many years I’ve known I have damage around my optic nerves caused by a disease known as histoplasmosis. Once you get it, you have it for life even if it lies dormant. A couple of years ago following a chest x-ray I was told I had what appeared to be tiny blisters on my lungs which we decided to check periodically. This week the dots connected between the two. The “blisters” are apparently crystalline cells on my lungs caused by the histoplasmosis. Who’d a thunk?
The Mayo Clinic Web site about histoplasmosis says the disease is airborne in tiny fungal spores most often found “in damp soil that’s rich in organic material, especially the droppings from birds and bats. For that reason, it’s particularly common in chicken and pigeon coops, old barns, caves and parks. It isn’t contagious, so it can’t be spread from person to person.” Obviously, that means those at highest risk are farmers, pest control workers, poultry keepers, construction workers, roofers, landscapers and gardeners.
The spores are breathed in when the material containing them is disturbed.
Thinking back, the only time I was ever around chickens much was one Easter when my dad brought home a dozen adorable yellow fuzzy chicks from the local farm co-op. I was about four years old at the time and buying chicks at Easter was quite a “thing” in those days. We had them for years but I have no memory of being sick from them. In fact, the symptoms are just about what you’d expect from a slight case of flu: fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, dry cough and chest discomfort. My mother probably thought it was just a passing childhood bug and never thought much about it. I was lucky. The damage to both my eyes and lungs were not serious but it’s certainly something to keep in mind now that chickens are making a comeback. Prevention might be in order for those of you raising chickens, cleaning old barns or restoring old houses where pigeon droppings have accumulated, or working the earth digging in rich moist soil. Histoplasmosis is fairly common in the Midwest because we have so many farms, but now that chicken are back in the cities, take precautions because not everyone may be as lucky as me, and some of the consequences can be severe.
The most obvious prevention is to avoid exposure, but far be it from me to forego fresh eggs daily given the opportunity! Another suggestion is to spray contaminated soil thoroughly with water before digging. This can help keep the spores from being released into the air. Spraying chicken coops and barns before cleaning them can reduce your risk. Wearing an effective face mask is one of the best ways to protect yourself. Consult with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to determine which mask best suits your situation.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they say, and even though histoplasmosis may not be the same level of threat as cancer or heart disease, it’s certainly worth a little awareness. Don’t give up those fresh eggs though, and if you be inclined to share, just let me know!