On 12-2795, CLAIRE CONNER wrote to TOM WEISS:
 TW> While I understand your concern, it's not yet proven (to me)
 TW> that poop dust is harmful.
 CC> Look up Zoonoses in the Encyclopedia Britannica for one thing.
 CC> Just look in your H & H.
Done.  Diseases that humans can get from parrots.  Not necessarily carried by 
poop dust (but certainly a reason to not go looking for poop dust, eh?).  If 
you are saying we should not breath poop dust; you must also say we should 
not breath feather dust or have oral contact (kisses) with our birds.  I 
accept that.  However as a practical manner, I feel my birds do not carry 
these diseases and such am not concerned by my CASUAL contact with them.  If 
I were concerned they would not share my dinner plate with me. 
 CC> Two things come to mind.  One is the fact that my vet told me not to
 CC> open windows where we have pigeons next door if I don't want
 CC> psittacosis to attack my flock.
Psittacosis is transmitted also by feather dust ... not just unique to poop 
dust.
 CC> The other one, which I can't
 CC> document (probably could but am not going to the library in this
 CC> bitter cold) is the number of workers who got sick and died at
 CC> Philadelphia City Hall years back. It was caused by the pigeon
 CC> droppings on the building.  You get sick by inhaling the dust from
 CC> the droppings.  I think moist droppings are relatively OK, but when
 CC> they dry they are DUST, laden with germs.
Pigeon droppings carry a different disease.  That was posted by someone a 
week or so ago ... as I recall.  I believe it was stated that it was a 
function of pigeons (ie not parrots).  A 'histo' virus, no?
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