Bird-dropping cleanup is no game

Badminton is affected by the recent outbreak of bird flu in China. High-quality, professional badminton shuttlecocks (birdies) are made from cork, leather and 16 white goose feathers. Badminton aficionados in China are experiencing a 10-percent increase of shuttlecock prices because of a shortage of duck and goose feathers resulting from extensive culling of infected poultry.

In Indonesia, a country that relies on China for as much as 40 percent of its shuttlecocks, the ban on Chinese poultry products, including feathers, is causing players to consider nylon or plastic birdies instead.

More concerning than avian flu’s impact on badminton, however, is the possibility that gene mutations could cause the virus to make the jump to humans. In China, more than 130 people have been infected and more than 30 have died from the H7N9 virus. Although avian influenza typically is associated with domesticated birds on large farms, pest management professionals (PMPs) must be aware of the threat posed by pathogens when working with nuisance birds.

For example, Salmonella has been isolated from pigeon, starling and sparrow droppings. Bird droppings also can harbor histoplasmosis or cryptococcosis spores. Because many companies offer dropping removal services as part of their bird management programs, health and safety precautions should be considered for any technicians performing cleanup work. Such precautions include:

• Only healthy (not immune-compromised) individuals should perform cleanup work.
• Care should be taken to avoid inhaling dust during the process.
• Workers should wet the droppings before and during cleanup to prevent the formation of airborne dust.
• There should be no eating, drinking or smoking during the process.
• Droppings should be placed in a sealable plastic bag and disposed of in outdoor trash.
• Tools, rubber boots and gloves, and any other contaminated items that will be reused should be cleaned with a 10-percent bleach solution.

Just like a player preparing to serve a shuttlecock in a high-stakes game of international badminton, technicians who know the rules, have completed their training and have the right equipment to do the job can stay healthy and be successful as they battle the birdie. pmp

You can reach Dr. Fredericks, technical director for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), at jfredericks@pestworld.org.