Chickens? Heard of histoplasmosis?
As a youngster growing up in North Georgia, neighbors on both sides of our house had small chicken coops. As a kid, I enjoyed collecting the eggs. As a pre-teen, a group of us got paid for raiding the large chicken houses on a nearby farm as we collected the chickens into cages to then be sent to the “Fried Chicken Factory.”
Fast-forward to my college days when I got a chest X-ray that revealed multiple histoplasmosis granulomas in my lungs. This condition can be caused by exposure to a fungus that is often found in bird and bat droppings. This diagnosis was confirmed by a positive skin test that really lit up my arm. I discovered that histoplasmosis was quite common in Tennessee and Georgia, where raising chickens was everywhere. Even many years later, I still have these scars in my lungs (they have not caused any serious health problems). I always alert my treating physicians to make sure my scars don’t get misdiagnosed.
So, for those who support relaxed regulations on neighborhood chickens, you may wish to check with your physician, your children’s pediatrician or an infectious disease specialist. They may have an opinion on keeping chickens.
Robert Giles Jr.