Page 77 - Ironworkers Memorial Bridge Project
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Bird Excrement – fungus
ENTRY POINTS ▪ Histoplasmosis primarily affects the lungs. If symptoms do
Inhale into lungs (when occur, is usually between 3 to 17 days after exposure and will
bird excrement is appear as flu like respiratory illness.
disturbed, and small
particles become ▪ Cryptococcus is an encapsulated fungus that also enters the
body through the respiratory system. Once in the lungs for a
airborne) or ingest by period the organism will then spread through the blood stream
eating. and can cause inflammation of the brain and its membranes.
Cryptococcosis commonly causes meningitis but infection can
occur in other parts of the body.
Diseases are caused by
funguses known as; ▪ Psittacosis is caused by bacteria called chlamydia found in
• Histoplasmosis, excrement of infected birds. Symptoms of Psittacosis generally
mild to moderate respiratory illness with pneumonia. Young
• Cryptococcus, and
children, elderly and persons with compromised immune
• Psittacosis. systems are most at risk.
▪ Gastrointestinal illness Bird Excrement can contain germs that
cause gastrointestinal illness with symptoms of nausea,
vomiting and diarrhea. Workers can be infected by
inadvertently swallowing germs via contaminated hands
