Effect of Pigeon Keeping on Health and Family Life

Authors

  • Zafar H. Israili
  • Nazia J. Iqbal

Abstract

Pigeon keeping/breeding is prevalent worldwide and a lot has been written about this hobby/profession and pigeon fanciers in the popular media, websites and books. It is well known that pigeons transmit diseases and cause pulmonary disorders in pigeon keepers/breeders, but, not much is available in the scientific/medical literature regarding the impact of this ‘addiction’ on the psychological and mental health of the individuals and family life/relations. The following narrative is based mainly on personal experience (NJI), observation
(ZHI), various websites and common sense.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_keeping; accessed

June 2017.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/at-410000-belgianracing-

pigeon-bolts-to-title-of-worlds-most-expensive-bird;

accessed June 2017.

http://mostexpensivethingz.com/world-record-breakerpigeon-

sale/; accessed June 2017.

http://www.yesafrica.biz/news/the-most-expensive-pigeonin-

the-world-r5-million-was-bought-by-two-southafricans-

video-115404; accessed June 2017.

http://fbipigeons.com/FAMOUS%20FANCIERS.htm;

accessed June 2017.

http://www.rpra.org/famous-pigeon-fanciers; accessed

June 2017.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_keeping; accessed

June 2017.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pigeon_breeds;

accessed June 2017

Mann K, Kiefer F, Schellekens A, Dom G (2017)

Behavioural addictions: Classification and consequences.

Eur Psychiatry. 44:187-188.

Starcevic V, Khazaal Y (2017) Relationships between

behavioral addictions and psychiatric disorders: What is

known and what is yet to be learned? [In Process]

Frontiers in Psychiatry 8:APR Article Number 53

Black DW, Coryell W, McCormick B, Shaw M, Allen J

(2017) Pathological gambling (PG) is a common and costly

public health problem associated with impaired quality of

life and high suicide rates. Psychiatr Res 256:162-168.

Berger P. Quality of life in pathological gambling. Eur

Psychiatry 2012; 27 SUPPL

Koschel O, Lindenmeyer J, Heinrichs N (2017)

Pathological gambling: Couple relationship and gender.

Sucht 63(3):145-156.

Hloch K, Mladěnka P, Doseděl M, Adriani W, Zoratto F

(2017) The current clinical knowledge on the treatment of

gambling disorder: A summary. Synapse 71(8): Article

Number 21976.

Weinstein A, Weinstein Y (2014) Exercise addictiondiagnosis,

bio-psychological mechanisms and treatment

issues. Curr Pharmaceut Design 20(25):4062-4069.

Oregon Health & Science University. "'Good' Chemical,

Neurons In Brain Elevated Among Exercise Addicts."

Science Daily. ScienceDaily, 29 September 2003.

Available at:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030929053719.ht

m; assessed July 4, 2017.

Choi SW, Shin YC, Mok JY, Kim DJ, Choi JS, Hwang

SSH (2016) Serum BDNF levels in patients with

gambling disorder are associated with the severity of

gambling disorder and Iowa Gambling Task indices. J

Behav Addictions 5(1); 135-139.

Kozdrun W, Czekaj H, Stys N (2015) Avian zoonoses - a

review. Bull Veterin Instit Pulawy 59(2):171-178.

Coudert P, Donas E (2015) Pigeon diseases: Prevention of

epidemics and transmission to humans. Actualites

Pharmaceut 54 (543):48-51.

Calvert JE, Baldwin CI, Allen A, Todd A, Bourke SJ

(1999) Pigeon fancier’s lung: a complex disease. Clin Expt

Allergy 29:166-175.

Morell F, Roger À, Reyes L, Cruz MJ, Murio C, Muñoz X

(2008) Bird fancier's lung: A series of 86 patients.

Medicine 87 (2):110-130.

Geisler LS (1980) [Pigeon breeder's lung].[Article in

German] Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 105(39):1360-1363.

Kurashima K, Takayanagi N, Ubukata M, Tokunaga D,

Matsushima H, Sato N, Maeno Y, Yanagisawa T, Sugita

Y, Minoru K, Kawabata Y. [A case of chronic pigeon

breeder's disease accompanied with progressive

pulmonary cysts and recurrent pneumothorax].[Article in

Japanese] Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai Zasshi. 2003;41(6):416-

Hoshi S, Tamura A, Sasaki O, Kato A, Nakayama Y,

Ogawa C, Suzuki N, Kawabata Y (2007) [Case of chronic

pigeon breeder's disease accompanied by pulmonary

cysts] [Article in Japanese]. Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai

Zasshi 45(10):766-771.

Cramer C, Schlünssen V, Bendstrup E, Stokholm ZA,

Vestergaard JM, Frydenberg M, Kolstad HA (2016) Risk

of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and interstitial lung

diseases among pigeon breeders. Eur Respir J 48(3):818-

Reyes LI, Román VJ (2013) Hypersensitive pneumonitis:

a case report.Boletín de la Asociación Médica Puerto

Rico 105(2):43-46.

Tsanglao WR, Nandan D, Chandelia S, Bhardwaj M

(2017) Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonia due to pigeon

breeders’ disease. Indian Pediatr 54 (1):55-57.

Yoshimura N, Nodera H, Ohkouchi M, Atarashi K,

Tsukimoto K, Beppu H, Matsubara O, Nakatani Y,

Yoshizawa Y(1997) [An elderly woman with chronic

pigeon-breeder's disease].[Article in Japanese]. Nihon

Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Zasshi 35(10):1067-1073.

Uzun O, Yilmaz DK, Sunter AT, Erkan L (2011) The

prevalence of "pigeon breeder's disease" in a Turkish city

and review of the literature. Lung 189(3):243-250.

Khan S, Chowdhury SR, Bhattacharya P (2016) Use of

fluoroenzyme immunoassay in the diagnosis of bird

fancier's hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Eur Respir J 48

(60).

Nademi Z, Todryk S, Baldwin C (2013) Characteristics of

antibody responses in Pigeon Fanciers' Lung. Mol

Immunol 54(2):227-232.

Hasan SF, Bourke S, Mc Sharry C, Todryk S (2016)

Immune biomarkers of disease in pigeon fanciers lung.

Allergy: Eur J Allergy Clin Immunol 71 (102):16-17.

Casanovas L, De Simon M, Ferrer MD, Arques J, Monzon

G (1995) Intestinal carriage of campylobacters,

salmonellas, yersinias and listerias in pigeons in the city

of Barcelona. J Appl Bacteriol 78(1):11-13.

Magnino S, Haag-Wackernagel D, Geigenfeind I,

Helmecke S, DovÄ A, Prukner-RadovÄić E, Residbegović

E, Ilieski V, Laroucau K, Donati M, Martinov S, Kaleta

EF (2009) Chlamydial infections in feral pigeons in

Europe: Review of data and focus on public health

implications. Veterin Microbiol 2009; 135(1-2):54-67.

Ling Y, Chen H, Chen X, Yang X, Yang J, Bavoil PM, He

C (2015) Epidemiology of Chlamydia psittaci Infection in

Racing Pigeons and Pigeon Fanciers in Beijing, China.

Zoonoses Publ Health 62 (5):401-406.

Abulreesh HH, Organji SR, Elbanna K, Osman GEH,

Almalki MHK, Abdel-Mallek AY (2015) First report of

environmental isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and

other fungi from pigeon droppings in Makkah, Saudi

Arabia and in vitro susceptibility testing. Asian Pacific J

Trop Dis 2015; 5(8):622-626.

Ellabib MS, Aboshkiwa MA, Husien WM, D' Amicis R,

Cogliati M (2016) Isolation, Identification and Molecular

Typing of Cryptococcus neoformans from Pigeon

Droppings and Other Environmental Sources in Tripoli,

Libya. My copathologia 181 (7-8):603-608.

Gao L-W, Jiao A-X, Wu X-R, Zhao S-Y, Ma Y, Liu G, Yin

J, Xu B-P, Shen K-L(2017) Clinical characteristics of

disseminated cryptococcosis in previously healthy

children in China. BMC Infect Dis 17(1): Article Number

Kielstein P, Hotzel H, Schmalreck A (2002) Which are the

conditions for Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformansstrains

from avian excrements as a cause for human

infections? Mycoses 45 (3):61-64.

Murakami K, Etoh Y, Ichihara S, Maeda E, Takenaka S,

Horikawa K, Narimatsu H, Kawano K, Kawamura Y, Ito

K (2014) Isolation and characteristics of Shiga toxin 2fproducing

Escherichia coli among pigeons in Kyushu,

Japan. PLoS ONE 9:1 Article Number e86076

Schmidt H, Scheef J, Morabito S, Caprioli A, Wieler LH,

Karch H (2000) A new Shiga toxin 2 variant (Stx2f) from

Escherichia coli isolated from pigeons. Appl Environ

Microbiol 66(3):205-1208.

Norkaew T, Ohno H, Sriburee P, Tanabe K,

Tharavichitkul P, Takarn P, Puengchan T, Bumrungsri

S, Miyazaki Y (2013) Detection of Environmental Sources

of Histoplasma capsulatum in Chiang Mai, Thailand, by

Nested PCR. My copathologia 176(5-6):395-402.

Kriz P, Sisak F, Slana I, Karpiskova R, Docekal J, Skoric

M, Fictum P, Babak V, Pavlik I (2011) Mycobacterium

avium subsp. avium and Salmonella enterica serotype

Typhimurium var. Copenhagen phage type DT2 in

pigeons. Foodborne Pathog Dis (8:10):1135-1137.

Haesendonck R, Rasschaert G, Martel A, Verbrugghe E,

Heyndrickx M, Haesebrouck F, Pasmans F (2016) Feral

pigeons: A reservoir of zoonotic Salmonella Enteritidis

strains? Veterinary Microbiology 195:101-103.

Kim C-Y, Oh H, Song J, Hur M, Suh J-H, Jheong W-H,

Kim J-T, Oh H-S, Park J-H(2016) First detection of West

Nile virus in domestic pigeon in Korea. J Veter

Sci 17(4):587-589.

Phan TG, Vo NP, Boros Ã, Pankovics P, Reuter G, Li

OTW, Wang C, Deng X, Poon LLM, Delwart E (2013) The

Viruses of Wild Pigeon Droppings. PLoS ONE 8:9 Article

Number e72787.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun;

accessed June 2017.

https://www.aoa.org/Documents/optometrists/ocularultraviolet.

pdf; accessed June 2017.

Hu L, Gao Q, Gao N, Liu G, Wang Y, Gong H, Liu Y

(2013) Solar UV exposure at eye is different from

environmental UV: Diurnal monitoring at different

rotation angles using a manikin. J Occupat Environ

Hyg 10(1):17-25.

Theodoropoulou S, Theodossiadis P, Samoli E, Vergados

I, Lagiou P, Tzonou A (2011) The epidemiology of

cataract: A study in Greece. Acta Ophthalmol 89(2):e167-

e173.

Wen F, Li B, Li F-W, Li M (2016) Meta-analysis for the

risk factors of cataract in China. Internat Eye

Sci 16(3):446-449.

Lugović Mihić L, Bulat V, Situm M, Cavka V, Krolo I

(2008) Allergic hypersensitivity skin reactions following

sun exposure. Collegium antropologicum 32(2):153-157.

Spiewak R (2011) Diagnosis and typing of endogenous

solar urticaria with flow-assisted basophil activation test.

Allergy: Eur J Allergy Clin Immunol 66(94):268-.

Hirakawa M, Tanaka M, Tanaka Y, Okubo A, Koriyama

C, Tsuji M, Akiba S, Miyamoto K, Hillebrand G,

Yamashita T, Sakamoto T(2008) Age-related

maculopathy and sunlight exposure evaluated by

objective measurement. Brit J Ophthalmol 92(5):630-634.

Filosa A, Filosa G (2015) Actinic keratosis and squamous

cell carcinoma: Clinical and pathological features. G Ital

Dermatol Venereol 2015;150(4):379-384.

Orkić Ž, Puntarić D, Vidosavljević D, Puntarić I, Puntarić

E, Gvozdić V, Mayer D, Vidosavljević M, Vranješ AM

(2015) Climatic Factors and Epidemiologic

Characteristics of Head and Neck Skin Malignancies in

Osijek Baranja County, Croatia. Central Eur J Public

Health 23(4):275-285.

Sordo C, Gutiérrez C (2013) Skin cancer and sun

radiation: Peruvian experience in the prevention and

early detection of skin cancer and melanoma. Rev

Peruana Med Exp Salud Publica 30(1):113-117.

Veierød MB, Adami H-O, Lund, Armstrong BK,

Weiderpass E (2010) Sun and solarium exposure and

melanoma risk: Effects of age, pigmentary

characteristics, and nevi. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers

Prevention 19(1):111-120.

Maksimović N, Raznatović M, Marinković J, Janković J

(2006) Exposure to sun radiation as a risk factor for the

occurrence of basal cell carcinoma in the Montenegrian

population. Vojnosanitetski pregled. Military-Med

Pharmaceut Rev 63(7):643-647.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/may/01/commen

t.harrypearson; accessed June 2017.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/pigeon-racingmultimillion-

illegal-enterprise-article-1.1069610;

accessed June 2017.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/387809/Why-is-pigeonracing-

in-a-flap; accessed June 2017.

http://www.pigeonweb.net/pigeon-racing; accessed June

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/6088658/Belgianpigeon-

fanciers-accuse-Chinese-mafia-of-killing-racingbirds-

to-steal-id-bands.html; accessed June 2017.

The Racing Champions.

Published

2018-03-24

How to Cite

Israili, Zafar H., and Nazia J. Iqbal. “Effect of Pigeon Keeping on Health and Family Life”. International Journal of Advances in Social Science and Humanities, Mar. 2018, https://ijassh.com/index.php/IJASSH/article/view/52.

Issue

Section

Research Articles