Histoplasmosis

[flying_babyb]

So a coworker who raises chickens asked me about this today when I came in. Ive got a sore throat, am hoarse and a non productive cough. Is there a chance I should be worried about this? I have 6 indoor chickens that are living in a pretty clean coop (Its mucked out twice a week by me)

 

[BrattishTaz]

It actually sounds like you may be developing an allergy. My daughter is going through the same thing with our chickens. She is no longer allowed in the coop.

We had some pet rats and I noticed a tickle in my throat after a few months which progressively got worse. I started coughing then wheezing then one night I woke up unable to breath. I will now go into anaphylaxis if I am exposed to rat waste.

I think allergy is more likely that histoplasmosis but perhaps you should consult you doctor if you are concerned.

 

[Micklemoose]

Be careful. I don't know how often it happens, but my mother was misdiagnosed with histoplasmosis when she really had cancer.

This didn't do anything for my opinion of doctors in general.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

A bout of vomiting, followed by a high fever is usually the first signs of Histo.....been there done that.

 

[CCourson05]

A fact sheet I once read said that 80% of Americans have had Histoplasmosis and never noticed it, because usually there are no symptoms... If you have symptoms, then it is progressing. The first symptom is fever, chills, a dry cough, and later fatigue, headaches, etc...

 

[flying_babyb]

no vomiting! Guess Im probally good. Ive had a 3 degree fever, sore thoat, no voice, and a real fun cough! I work in daycare so mabey thats it too. Just worried it was my chicky babbies since I spend almost as much time with them as I do my class.

 

[Mamma_Duck04]

LOL you immediately put my hackles up when I read your initial post!
I just came back from my dr. yesterday w/ a bag of various meds due to a sudden dry/non-productive cough (sore ribcage & waking at night, etc.), hoarseness & just plain crappy feeling. But there's a bug going around here like this. Just settles into the chest & doesn't want to resolve very well.

My mom in MO had this bout a few months ago, but also got nailed w/ flu symptoms at the same time. It's just some odd bugs circulating IMO. (she's got geese, a rooster, turkeys, among a bunch of non-birds)

For what it's worth, after working at a rural-ish vet hospital for a long time, handling all sorts of cats (probably a few more feral, diseased cats than personal house-pet cats too), when I got pregnant, I had them check my titers for Toxoplasmosis, b/c I was fairly confident I'd been exposed & we all (the humans) seemed to get waves of sickies at the clinic. Apparently even all that close confinement with almost certain Toxo carriers/shedders, I never contracted Toxo. I had my personal cats tested to assure they weren't carriers (they weren't) then went on my merry way.
Yaknow, totally different disease, kinda pointless in sharing except anyone that's been pregnant I'm sure has heard all the scary stories about handling their pet cat litter, etc. for fear of this bug...