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Am i being stupid?-leptosporisis / parrot fever risk?

Hi All since getting diagnosed with cancer at the start of the year i have become a lot more worried about health, i am just trying to get an idea how how much risk i am at from a recent exposure, i suspect i am being silly.

I am in the uk- A couple of days ago i went out to clean the bird feeder, i have noticed pigeons and squirrels there as well as the normal birds.

It had been raining and somehow i managed to splash myself with water that had collected at the base of the  feeder and it hit my mouth.

I went in and washed my face (i always use gloves to clean out the feeder) but i am worried about disease as a result of this

What are my practical risks? ive read there are few cases of weils disease and parrot fever in the UK? (first two things that came to mind with the pigeons and squirrels)

Is it worth taking doxycycline for a week now? or best to see if there are any symptoms?

Thanks

Thanks.

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1415174 tn?1453243103
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hello,
Hope you are feeling well? Do you have any symptoms? Here is a link of many things you can get from birds and these are not all from a splash or drinking the bird water by accident.  A lot are acquired other ways, such as inhaling pigeon droppings, or a bite from a rat or other animal or getting it in a a open wound.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/index.html

However, it is unlikely. If you don't have any symptoms after a week or two I wouldn't worry about it. Generally, if you were to get anything from a splash,  it is rare but bird flu, Salmonella, and Mycobacterium avium .   Bird flu would likely be a bad flu but you would know by now. Mycobacterium avium is more from a wound you would get not from a splash . and it is extremely rare, and usually not from the U.K They only treat the wound not oral antibiotics etc. Salmonella, you would have high fever and diarrhea.  The disease you would get from rats  or rodents would be from a bite not generally ingestion.  Have you seen any rat droppings in the bird bath or animal droppings other than bird droppings? Did you get it in your eye? Eye infection is possible, but you would also know that by now. If not then I doubt you got anything from this.
Hope this helps.
mkh9
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Hi, thanks for the response -I appreciate it

No I have had a mild headache the last two days but it is probably unrelated, otherwise no side effects

The feeder that splashed me is too small for a rat to stand on and leave droppings (I'm not even sure a rat could reach it as even the squirrel struggles ) and I didn't see any droppings

I did buy Doxycycline but decided the risks of self medication outweighed the benefit so I didn't use them

I think from what you are saying I will be fine, but I will use a mask as well as gloves in future for piece of mind

Thanks again.

Glad to help. Stay safe and well!
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