Toxoplasmosis

[Guest guest]

What kind of bird is it? I currently am owned by about 70 birds cockatiels,English Budgies,Lovebirds,Parrotlets an African Grey and 2 Timneh Greys. I have only gotten Psittacosis once and that was after a visit to a friends home. It will feel like the flu but will hang on. Antibiotics will clear it up. Actually we had a bird meeting at her home and 2 of us came down with it.

FRANK

[Guest guest]

What kind of bird is it? I currently am owned by about 70 birds cockatiels,English Budgies,Lovebirds,Parrotlets an African Grey and 2 Timneh Greys. I have only gotten Psittacosis once and that was after a visit to a friends home. It will feel like the flu but will hang on. Antibiotics will clear it up. Actually we had a bird meeting at her home and 2 of us came down with it.

FRANK

[Guest guest]

For years, people have repeated the warning about HIV+ people not changing cat litterboxes due to increased fear of toxoplasmosis. (I think for many, this has been a quite convenient excuse to get someone else to change the catbox!). Anyway, I volunteer for a Humane Society program which provides free services to low-income people with AIDS to help them keep their animals. I asked one of the vets with the program if there was any validity to this often-repeated advice?He told me NO- or more precisely, that PWA's are equally well advised as anyone to wear gloves and wash hands while changing catboxes. Adding a mask wouldn't be a bad idea either. But this is true for everybody.I expect the same thing is true with the bird. Certainly you should be careful about getting bird crap on you, and you should wash your hands after touching the bird and keep your hands away from your mouth, etc. BUT, so should negative people. Anyway, this is what I've been told. I"m sure there is a whole roster of different opinions on this subject, but this is what I've heard from a vet.JimS,Seattle>> Hi everyone,> > A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)> > Thanks,> >

[Guest guest]

For years, people have repeated the warning about HIV+ people not changing cat litterboxes due to increased fear of toxoplasmosis. (I think for many, this has been a quite convenient excuse to get someone else to change the catbox!). Anyway, I volunteer for a Humane Society program which provides free services to low-income people with AIDS to help them keep their animals. I asked one of the vets with the program if there was any validity to this often-repeated advice?He told me NO- or more precisely, that PWA's are equally well advised as anyone to wear gloves and wash hands while changing catboxes. Adding a mask wouldn't be a bad idea either. But this is true for everybody.I expect the same thing is true with the bird. Certainly you should be careful about getting bird crap on you, and you should wash your hands after touching the bird and keep your hands away from your mouth, etc. BUT, so should negative people. Anyway, this is what I've been told. I"m sure there is a whole roster of different opinions on this subject, but this is what I've heard from a vet.JimS,Seattle>> Hi everyone,> > A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)> > Thanks,> >

[Guest guest]

I don't know if toxoplasmosis is a risk from birds. You can find a copy of "Your Bird and Your Health" at http://www.pawssf.org/library_yourbirdyourhealth.htm . It's pretty informative. I'm told that "with good numbers", even a cat box isn't a big threat - but it can't hurt to read up.

BG

toxoplasmosis

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

I don't know if toxoplasmosis is a risk from birds. You can find a copy of "Your Bird and Your Health" at http://www.pawssf.org/library_yourbirdyourhealth.htm . It's pretty informative. I'm told that "with good numbers", even a cat box isn't a big threat - but it can't hurt to read up.

BG

toxoplasmosis

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

"A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)",There are a few bugs that can be carried by birds, including toxoplasmosis.    Birds do generate lots of waste, that seems to get broadcast around quite a bit.  "Fresh" bird poop is not really the issue, as the organism has to hang out in the environment for a few days to hatch.Many feel that toxo infections are not caused be new contact with pets, but old infections that re-emerge with decreased immune function.   With good numbers, I don't think you need to avoid your friends.  I would avoid all contact with the bird's cage, and anywhere waste might accumulate.  Good handwashing is a given. Barrowpozbod@...

[Guest guest]

"A friend of mine bought a new bird that I've been playing with. As a person with HIV with "good numbers", am I risking becoming infected with toxoplasmosis or is that only a risk if I'm near his cage? He does seem to poop a lot and so far I haven't gotten any on me, but his owners get pooped on quite a bit. This bird is a pooping machine. My husband is concerned about me going over there now. What do you think? (I do wash my hands well after handling him)",There are a few bugs that can be carried by birds, including toxoplasmosis.    Birds do generate lots of waste, that seems to get broadcast around quite a bit.  "Fresh" bird poop is not really the issue, as the organism has to hang out in the environment for a few days to hatch.Many feel that toxo infections are not caused be new contact with pets, but old infections that re-emerge with decreased immune function.   With good numbers, I don't think you need to avoid your friends.  I would avoid all contact with the bird's cage, and anywhere waste might accumulate.  Good handwashing is a given. Barrowpozbod@...

[Guest guest]

All,

I believe there was a discussion of Toxoplasmosis recently so here is

some info on it. 60 million people in the US are infected by this

parasite! Wow! Edgar

Indiana U scientists uncover potential key to better drugs to fight

toxoplasmosis parasite

Discoveries by Indiana University School of Medicine scientists have

opened a promising door to new drugs for toxoplasmosis and other

parasites that now can evade treatments by turning dormant in the body.

Their findings help explain how the parasite that causes

toxoplasmosis transforms into a cyst form that resists drugs and the

body's immune system, yet can emerge from its dormant state to strike

when a patient's immune system is weakened.

Led by J. Sullivan Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of

pharmacology and toxicology, and C. Wek, Ph.D., professor of

biochemistry and molecular biology, the research team found a

cellular signaling system that takes hold when the parasite is

stressed, enabling it to transform into the cyst surrounded by a

protective barrier.

The signaling system identified by the IU team could serve as a

target to block the transformation into the cyst form or to attack

the parasite while in the cyst form. Their report was published in

the June 13 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

The Toxoplasma gondii parasite converts from an active state to the

inactive cyst state when it is stressed, for example, by heat from

fever. Stress response mechanisms have been well studied in yeast and

other organisms, but the pathways used by the toxoplasmosis parasite

had not been determined.

" We found a cellular signal that appears to put the parasite to

sleep, which in turn tells us something new about how opportunistic

pathogens such as Toxoplasma awaken to cause disease during

immunosuppression, " said Dr. Sullivan.

An estimated 60 million people in the United States are infected with

the toxoplasmosis parasite, but for most infection produces flu-like

symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, for people with immune

system problems – such as those undergoing chemotherapy or people

with AIDS – the disease can cause serious effects including lung

problems, blurred vision and seizures. Also, infants born to mothers

who are infected during or shortly before pregnancy are at risk for

severe complications, miscarriages or stillbirths.

Medications to treat Toxoplasma gondii are effective but too toxic

for extended use, and they don't affect the cyst form, said Dr.

Sullivan.

" A healthy immune system can keep this parasite in the cyst state.

Without a healthy immune system, this organism can run rampant, " said

Dr. Sullivan. " This can be a very serious problem for people with AIDS. "

The discovery linking this stress-response mechanism to cyst

formation and maintenance not only offers a possible target for new

drugs, but it could also lead to a preventative vaccine – for animals.

The Toxoplasma gondii parasite can infect most animals and birds, but

it reproduces in cats, which can shed the parasite in their feces.

Humans can be infected through contact with the infected feces or

litter. People can also become infected by consuming undercooked meat.

A vaccine to prevent infection in cats and livestock could prevent a

significant proportion of human infections, Dr. Sullivan said.

Source: Indiana University

http://www.physorg.com/news133014300.html