Ornithosis in pigeons: symptoms and treatment, danger of infection for humans

Ornithosis in pigeons is understood as an infectious pathology of the respiratory tract that affects domestic and wild birds. It is transmitted by airborne droplets or through various contacts. However, the most unpleasant thing is that pathology is dangerous for people. To prevent infection, you need to understand the mechanism of the development of the disease.

Causes of disease

Ornithosis is also called psittacosis or respiratory chlamydia. The causative agent of pathology is chlamydia, which is an intracellular infection.It provokes the destruction of the organs of the respiratory system and the lungs of birds. Chlamydia is considered a resistant microorganism that does not die at high or low temperatures.

The disease can be acute or chronic. Sometimes pigeons are perfectly he althy but spread psittacosis. The key characteristic of the disease is its rapid transformation from a latent form to an acute one.

Provoking factor of problems is the following:

• Containment Breach;
• hypothermia;
• vitamin deficiency;
• unbalanced diet.

The incubation period, on average, lasts 30-40 days. Ornithosis is characterized by instant spread. With crowded content, there is a possibility of infection of all the birds that are in the same room.

Main symptoms of infection

In most cases, pigeons suffer from ornithosis. Chicks are the most difficult to tolerate pathology. They show signs of the disease a day after infection. Birds die within 20-24 hours.

The first symptoms of ornithosis include the following:

• diarrhea;
• loss of appetite;
• lacrimation;
• heavy breathing;
• failure to grow.

Even with a slight suspicion of the development of the disease, infected birds must be isolated and sometimes destroyed. The clinical picture of the disease depends on the characteristics of its course. In acute ornithosis, the following symptoms appear:

• purulent discharge from the beak;
• loss of appetite, severe weakness, diarrhea;
• breathing disorder, sneezing, coughing, loss of feathers, pronounced wheezing in the lungs.

With the development of advanced pathology, there is a risk of paralysis of the legs and wings. It is not possible to cure such a disease. With an untimely start of therapy, pathology almost always provokes a fatal outcome.

Latent form can be asymptomatic for a long time. In such a situation, chlamydia does not affect the respiratory organs, but the gastrointestinal tract. There are no external symptoms with latent ornithosis. Quite rarely, the disease is accompanied by a slight deterioration in appetite, diarrhea and general weakness.

Even with the hidden nature of the course, the disease is considered very dangerous and is characterized by rapid spread.

Diagnostic Methods

To detect ornithosis, it is recommended to do laboratory tests of a swab from the throat of a bird. This will help detect chlamydia and make an accurate diagnosis. Also, the veterinarian must take into account the clinical picture. The main signs of ornithosis include:

• loss of appetite;
• diarrhea;
• purulent discharge from the beak;
• watery eyes or inflammation of the eyes;
• enlargement of the eye ring;
• mucous discharge from eyes and beak;
• negative reactions to light;
• loss of feathers;
• chest wheezing;
• breathing disorder.

How to treat psittacosis in pigeons

When signs of psittacosis appear, infected birds should be immediately isolated and disinfected. For this, bleach is used. A solution of caustic soda is also suitable.

Drugs

Treatment of the disease is carried out with such drugs:

1. "Tetracycline" - for 1 kilogram of feed it is worth using 20 grams of the drug. It is recommended to give it to birds up to 7 times a day.
2. "Azithromycin" - for 1 kilogram of food it is worth taking 10 milligrams of an antibiotic. It is recommended to use it on days 1, 7, 14 of treatment.
3. "Erythromycin" - the drug should be added to the feed at a dosage of 0.5 grams. The composition is used from the 5th day of therapy.
4. "Eriprim" - for 1 kilogram of food use 20 grams of funds. It should be used a maximum of 1 time per day.

Another effective remedy is "Nifulin-forte". It should be used in the amount of 20 grams per 1 kilogram of feed. Also, vegetable oil should be added to the composition.

Inflammation of the eyes is recommended to be eliminated with tetracycline ointment. Also for this purpose, drops "Kolbiotsin" are suitable. To cleanse the auditory and nasal passages, it is recommended to wash them with Miramistin or Chlorhexidine.

Folk remedies

Effective folk remedies that are used to treat pigeons include:

• chamomile decoction - helps to cope with diarrhea in birds, eliminates flatulence and symptoms of inflammation;
• coniferous infusion - saturates the body with vitamins and minerals;
• perga - has pronounced immunomodulatory properties and increases the body's defenses, which helps pigeons cope with pathology.

Danger to humans

Ornithosis is also dangerous for people. Usually the infection is activated in the cold season. When chlamydia enters the human body, they differ in intracellular reproduction.After that, the cells enter the bloodstream and lead to damage to the lungs and central nervous system with toxins.

At the same time, people have unpleasant symptoms - fever, general weakness. In addition, there is an increase in the size of the liver, spleen, heart, adrenal glands.

A person can become infected not only from wild birds, but also from domestic birds. In this case, a sharp increase in temperature is observed. There is also a risk of cough, conjunctivitis, sore throat.

This disease poses the greatest danger to employees of poultry houses, farms, and meat processing plants. Also at risk are people who process and pack bird carcasses. Infection can occur by inhalation of dust, which includes fluff or fragments of dried feces from infected pigeons.

At the same time, ornithosis does not spread between people. Therefore, there is no need for immediate hospitalization or isolation. In order not to become infected with ornithosis, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Observe personal hygiene when working with birds.
2. Disinfect hands and tools, wear overalls.
3. To carry out sanitary measures at enterprises that deal with down and feathers.

Prevention measures

If a pigeon is purchased, it must be placed in quarantine for a certain time. The role of an insulator can be played by a spacious plastic carrying cage. When there is confidence that the bird is he althy, it can be released into the general poultry house.

To prevent infection, it is important to maintain cleanliness in the room in which the birds are kept. They should be fed exclusively high-quality food with the addition of vitamins and minerals. The use of fresh and clean drinking water is of great importance.

To avoid the development of ornithosis, it is important to vaccinate birds in a timely manner. Even in the absence of symptoms of pathology, it is necessary to disinfect the poultry house. To do this, use a solution of soda or formalin. Ultraviolet irradiation is also used. Ornithosis in pigeons is considered a serious enough pathology that can lead to negative consequences not only for birds, but also for people. That is why it is so important to engage in disease prevention.

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