How worried about histoplasmosis shoud I be?

[bakinghomesteader]

Hi all. I am getting ready to put my babies in their coop. How worried do I need to be about histo? Will a mask be ok to prevent?

 

[horsejody]

Yes, wear your mask when cleaning. I had histo once. It wasn't fun.

 

[bakinghomesteader]

What were your symptoms? Did they give you any pointers on prevention?

 

[horsejody]

I am more suceptible than others. I had turberculosis as a child, and my lungs are scarred. Most people would probably not have as much of an issue with it. For me it was like a really bad and lingering chest cold. That's what I thought it was until I read about histo on this board. By the time I discovered what it really was, I was almost recovered so the Dr left me to heal on my own. If I remember correctly, it's a fungus in the poo. Then when you clean the coop, all the dust becomes airborn and you inhale it. The mask solves the problem.

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

Wow, this is a very interesting thread. I've heard of Histoplasmosis but never really gave it a second thought until now. Your question made me curious so I googled it.

Good information to have since I want chickens and have have one kid who is diagnosed asmatic, another that I'm sure will be diagnosed with it soon and two that get cold induced asthma.
I will make sure they all wear mask when cleaning the coop (if it ever gets built

)

Thanks for asking the question

Learn something new everyday.

 

[bakinghomesteader]

Well, I just wondered because I take immunosuppressives for my myasthenia gravis. I will be cautious. Thanks!

 

[Chickenmaven]

The CDC has a good link:

http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/histoplasmosis_gi.html

I was worried enough to buy masks & then I forget to use them...

Jodi - Please, tell us about your tough time, so we'll take this more seriously.

 

[applefalls]

My dad had histoplasmosis from when he tore down some of the most-disgusting-coops-ever at an old farm plot he was renovating.

When I announced to my family that I was getting chickens, my father started with, "You'll get histoplasmosis,"

very much in the same way as the Christmas Story characters told the main character, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" whenever he announced that he wanted a Red Rider BB gun.

From what I've read, clean living conditions for your flock is the best prevention.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
It was right after the dogs killed my birds last fall. The dogs not only killed my birds, but they tore up everything in the coop and spilled 2 barrels of feed on the floor. It was a mess. I was literally on my hands and knees trying to sweep up the mess. All of the dry feed down made a lot of dust. There must have been enough spores on the floor to be kicked up with the feed dust. I had never had a problem before. Now I have masks when I clean. I probably was getting a cold anyway. When I get a cold, the old TB scars get sore and are most likely enflamed. That just created a perfect storm for me.