Pigeons, doves and gulls are particularly susceptible to the disease. Signs of chlamydiosis in birds include a swollen head, discharge from the eyes, sneezing, difficult breathing and green diarrhea. People get the disease by direct contact with infected, sick or dead birds, or their feathers, droppings and secretions. Most human infections are mild or unnoticed, but chlamydiosis can cause pneumonia and death, particularly in older people. Human symptoms include chills, fever, sweating, severe weakness, headache and blurred vision.
Antibiotics usually clear up disease symptoms two or three days after treatment begins.
Histplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus that grows well in soil enriched by bat or bird droppings that have accumulated for a period of time. If the contaminated soil is disturbed, spores are released that cause the infection when inhaled. Salmonellosis is an infection of the intestines cause by the bacteria salmonella. People can get the disease by having contact with bird droppings. Symptoms usually include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.