http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Pigeon+feces+disease+blinds+woman/4671428/story.html


FREDERICTON — In just a few weeks, Erica Richards has
been transformed from a vibrant 23-year-old who loved nature into a
woman who's battling for her life.In early January,
Richards contracted a potentially fatal condition called cryptococcal
meningitis, a fungal disease carried in the feces of pigeons.The
debilitating illness attacks the spine and the brain, causing severe
swelling. It left her confined to a hospital bed in a state of delirium
for weeks.But the most devastating consequence of the sickness is that Richards is now blind."Be aware of this disease. It could kill a child in a heartbeat," Richards said from her hospital bed."It
could kill a senior in a heartbeat without you even having to worry
about the symptoms. It comes on that fast. If you don't realize the
symptoms, it could kill you, too."Richards' warning comes
on the heels of Fredericton city council's approval earlier this month
of a recommendation that it toughen its animal-control bylaw to make it
illegal to feed pigeons.While such complaints are unusual,
a problem exists on the city's Grandame Street with a property owner
who refuses to stop feeding the birds. The pigeons are roosting on roofs
and defecating.The new law will give the city's bylaw enforcement officers the power to ticket and fine offenders."Please
don't feed the pigeons," Richards said. "Try to shoo them away, if you
see them. . . . It (the disease) is horrible. The pain that you get from
this disease is crippling."The after-effects are with you
for life and you just can't stop thinking about it. I just want other
people to know and try to stay away from pigeons."Oddly enough, Richards said she has no recollection of ever being anywhere near pigeons."I am still wondering to this day where I got it. I could have stepped in it and brought it into the home. I just don't know."Richards said the symptoms started with a migraine headache — one that wouldn't go away.Richards was admitted to hospital Feb. 10 after many days of intense head pain. Shortly after, she went into a coma-like state."When
I woke up I thought I had a mask over my eyes, but I was wrong. I was
blind. I was recently told that I will be blind for the rest of my life.
This is a tough thing for a 23-year-old to go through. . . . My world
crumbled around me."Richards said the odds of surviving the disease are 50-50."However,
I managed to make it through," she said, battling tears. "I don't know
how, but I am still here, and I am glad because I get to warn everyone
else of this."Dr. Cristin Muecke, a New Brunswick Health
Department's regional medical officer, said the disease is often
associated with pigeon droppings.While not being able to
speak about a specific case, she said the illness can't be spread from
person to person and is more common with someone who has immune
problems.Richards, however, said she has never had a
problem with her immune system and that's what's so puzzling about
contracting the affliction.In the meantime, Richards said
she has no idea when she will be leaving the hospital. When she does
leave, she'll have to re-learn everything.Erica's mother, BeBe Richards, said her daughter's illness has been a nightmare.John Richards agreed with his wife, saying at first they didn't know if their daughter was going to live or die."That was hard — very, very hard," he said.Richards,
meanwhile, said the Canadian National Institute for the Blind is
helping her and she's keeping her fingers crossed that she'll get a
seeing-eye dog from the MIRA Foundation."I do not want
anyone else to suffer this agonizing disease and I ask anyone who is
feeding pigeons to stop. It's not just a matter of keeping your
neighbourhood clean. . . . It's a matter of keeping people healthy."© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette


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When I first read this story I was shocked at the terrible journalism. I wondered how anyone could write such a piece of ill informed crap. I've been around long enough to know that menengitus is a terrible infection that often hits groups of teenage kids, they even have and recommend a preventative shot for it in schools now.

When I read this, the first thing I did was look up information on the web about this bacteria. Nowhere did the info that pigeon poo carries the bacterium pop out to me, the soil is mentioned as the source. Perhaps with some deeper reading I could find a reference to avians carrying it but I strongly doubt it.

I wouldn't have even bothered posting it except that the Gazette is a well respected newspaper. In fact it is one of the oldest in North America, published in fact by Benjamin Franklin during his time in Montreal. The reason I did post it was to hope that some of you would take the time to email the Gazette and complain about shoddy and irresponsible journalism.