Just Fed It Every Day... 'This Animal' That Transmitted Pneumonia to Humans

Cryptococcus Pneumonia Cases Reported
Infection from Fungal Spores Found in Pigeon Droppings

A story has been reported about a woman in her 50s in Thailand who was diagnosed with pneumonia after feeding pigeons daily. It was determined that inhaling bacteria from pigeon droppings was the cause.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) [Photo source=Pixabay]

On the 7th (local time), according to local media such as Tiger in Thailand, a respiratory specialist recently posted a case of a fungal pneumonia patient on his Facebook. According to the case, the patient was a 52-year-old woman named A living in Bangkok, who was generally healthy and had no underlying diseases. She had never complained of headaches or smoked.

However, during a physical examination last month, a chest X-ray revealed a small nodule on the upper right lung of Ms. A. The size was approximately 0.9 cm in width, 0.9 cm in length, and 1.7 cm in height. Suspected to be lung cancer, the upper lung nodule was surgically removed at the end of last month.

Pathological examination diagnosed Ms. A with cryptococcosis (yeast infection) pneumonia. Until receiving this diagnosis, she had no symptoms such as coughing, weight loss, fever, or headaches.

A small lump in the lung of a Thai woman.
[Photo source: Screenshot from the Thai online media 'Sanuk' homepage]

The doctor who treated Ms. A told the media, "Ms. A regularly fed pigeons around her home," and added, "She inhaled spores of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans from pigeon droppings into her lungs, which caused the illness. She should now stop feeding the pigeons and keep a distance from them."

Ms. A has a strong immune system, so the infection did not spread to other parts of her body, and she is currently undergoing treatment while taking medication.

The media also mentioned other diseases that can occur from contact with pigeons, such as meningitis and salmonellosis. They urged, "To avoid contracting diseases, refrain from feeding pigeons, and if you accidentally touch or approach pigeons, be sure to wash your hands."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.