Birdie Pets

link between birds and lung cancer?

Question:

Just some speculation here, but Black Lung, caused mainly by coal dust inhalation, does not kill through any particular "chemical" reaction with coal dust.  Any dust with the same sort of physical configuration as coal dust (sharp points and edges when viewed under a microscope) would be likely to cause the same sort of problems. Birdo dust (what, a cockatoo produce dust?  what? let me clear more of the screen off and see if I am reading this right…) might very well be that kind of irritation agent.   In any case, this argues for dust control, a good idea in any case.  Smoke-eaters or Sun color monitors all work very well for such dust collection ;-( Just speculation here. — Doug Humphrey    Express Access Public Access Internet   Voice (301) 220-2020 – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – "I say it again, in the land of the free; use your freedom of choice." -DEVO

Response:

Actually, if you read the article in the USA today carefully, it doesn’t even specifically state that the 239  people interviewed were non-smokers or not exposed to passive smoke.  It was worded in such a way that it lead me to believe that they took into account that "all factors were equal" and that even if they were smokers or exposed to smoke, their risk of lung cancer was greater if they owned birds.   I feel that they need to have a specific study with only people who do not smoke or are exposed to smoke and own birds, before they just to the conclusion that it is the birds that actually cause the cancer. There was another statement that really "puckered my behind", to say the least,  The doctor that they interviewed for the article states: "Would I personally have pet birds?  I do not believe in increasing any unncessary risk, but I wouldn’t tell everyone to open up their window and set the birds out to nature." This statement really makes me mad, because we all know that there some idiots out there who, reading this will think that letting their birds go is actually an option.  Proof of that is in the recent Bird Talk about the feral bird flocks out in California.  You know that only reason that there is a flock of parrots, is because either they escaped, or someone let them go!  I think that it is inhumane and cruel to let these tropical birds go (there are very few places in this country that most pet birds can survive in the climate, FL, CA, maybe south TX, or other areas of the Southwest, but not the mojority), and to even remotely suggest that in an article in a major newspaper is negligent on thepart of the doctor, in this case.  There are so many people, reguardless of the possible risk will continue to own birds, and would be more that happy to provide homes for unwanted pets.  Personally, I want a bird so bad I can hardly stand it, and there is probably someone out there right now, for whatever reason, getting rid of their unwanted pet! I think that the organizations and private establishments which provide homes or find homes for unwanted pet birds are fantastic, and should be commended. Kristin p.s. thanks for letting me spout off!

Response:

I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or something more substantive? — Mike Richman                        !CIMMS/The University of Oklahoma 405-325-3460 (office) 325-7614 (fax)!Norman, OK  73019-0628  USA

Response:

>I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link >between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have >more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or >something more substantive? >– >Mike Richman                        !CIMMS/The University of Oklahoma >405-325-3460 (office) 325-7614 (fax)!Norman, OK  73019-0628  USA

Mike here is an article from rec.pets.birds I have NO intention to get rid of my Parrots! … George [1] diseases from keeping birds as pets Keywords: disease Organization: Control Data Corporation, Arden Hills, MN Lines: 17 I have been hearing rumours of lung diseases in humans being caused by mites that live on the birds that people keep as pets.  Apparently the incidence of lung cancer in humans with birds as pets is higher than in the general population.  Is this just a bunch of nonsense or is their something to it.  I have a Red Lored Amazon and I am continually getting snide remarks from my friends about being around the bird and ending up with lung cancer.  One friend even metioned seeing an episode of ABC’s 20/20 where they did a story on this.  I think this is some kind of hoax but I would like to know if anyone has the real facts. —     Regards,     Control Data Systems                 (612)482-2582     4201 N. Lexington Ave.               FAX:(612)482-2791     Arden Hills, Mn. 55126 ec.pets.birds #2123 (30 more)                                        (1)–[1] [1] pet birds and lung cancer risk (complete text) Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC Lines: 72 Verbatim from the AP. All typos are mine. Any comments? AM-NC–Birds-Cancer    10-22 0607 AM-NC–Birds-Cancer,570     Study Shows Link Between Pet Birds And Lung Cancer     CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Keeping pet birds at home significantly increases the risk of lung cancer, a new study suggests.     But researchers aren’t sure why.     The study, conducted with lung cancer patients and control subjects in Berlin, Germany, showed at least a doubling of lung cancer risk among people who kept birds from one to five years. The chance of contracting the illness tripled among people keeping the animas longer than 10 years.     "One usually thinks that we can explain all excess lung cancers by occupational exposure to radiation, chemicals and smoking, but that isn’t true," said Dr. Lenore Kohlmeier, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health.     "There are differences in lung cancer rates within countries that are still unexplained. Our findings, which remian no matter how we model the data, help explain some of this difference."     A report on the study appeared in Thursday’s issue of the British Medical Journal.     Possible explanations for the link between birds and cancer are that either fungi growing on the bird’s excrement or minute airborne particles such as feather fragments make the lungs more susceptible to cancer, Ms. Kohlmeier said.     In their research, she and her colleagues statistically controlled for the effects of smoking, exposure to checmicals at work, passive smoking during childhood and other variables.     The study involved detailed interviews with 239 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients in three West Berlin hospitals who agreed to participate in the investigation. Control subjects were selected and matched for sex, approximate age and the neighborhood in Berlin.     Statistical analysis of interview data showed that the only significant difference between patients and control sunjects — once smoking and other known risk factors had been eliminated — was whether they had kept birds in their homes, Ms. Kohlmeier said.     No evidence was found that other pets such as dogs, cats rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs contributed to lung cancer risk.     Because of her group’s findings, Ms. Kohlmeire said she wouldn’t keep parrots, parakeets, canaries and other pet birds in her home. She cautioned that people who have a family history of lung cancer should minimize exposure to birds.     "I would say that people who are going to keep birds at home anyway should keep cages very clean and practice good hygiene," Ms. Kohlmeier said. "We would like to see other scientists do similar case control studies in other populations to confirm our results. We would also like them to go a step further and figure out what exactly is causing this increased risk from birds."     The team also anaylzed vegetable consumption among participants to determine if carrots, peppers, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi or spinich might have exerted some protective effects against lung cancer. Earlier studies have suggested vitamin C or beta carotene might help prevent cancer.     "The only protective effect we were able to isolate came from regular consumption of carrots," Ms. Kohlmeier said. "There was a clear dose response effect, such that 80 percent fewer cancers were seen in individuals consuming carrots daily."     Co-authors of the report are Sabine Bartolomeycik, Barbara Bellech and Michael Thamm of the Institute for Social Medicine in Berlin; Gerardt Arminger of the University of Wuppertal, Germany; and Juergen Rehm of the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcoholism in Lausanne, Switzerland.     APTV-10-22-92 1736EDT —- Mark Bergman 718-855-9148 {cmcl2,uunet}!panix!bergman regards, George Hawkins regards, George Hawkins Motorola Digital Signal Processors  UUCP: cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!hawk!hawk 6501 William Cannon Drive West      Phone (512) 891-4543 Austin Texas 78735-8598             FAX   (512) 891-2947

Response:

>I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link >between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have >more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or >something more substantive?

Well I have been monitoring this subject for a few days, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone that is giving any great amount of detail on the subject. I am about to be the proud owner of a greenwing Macaw, and I am curious       about this topic also. Should I keep the bird cage immaculate, deordorized, feed them anything special.  What’s the current information on this lung cancer issue.  Is it one of those things were a person had 45 birds for 30 years, and theu developed lung cancer.     IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE !!!! Ted Wollnik

Response:

>>I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link >between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have >more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or >something more substantive? >Well I have been monitoring this subject for a few days, and there doesn’t >seem to be anyone that is giving any great amount of detail on the subject. >I am about to be the proud owner of a greenwing Macaw, and I am curious       >about this topic also. >Should I keep the bird cage immaculate, deordorized, feed them anything >special.  What’s the current information on this lung cancer issue.  Is >it one of those things were a person had 45 birds for 30 years, and theu >developed lung cancer.     >IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE !!!!

First – there have been studies with results both ways (bird keeping does / does not cause cancer) so don’t take this as a proven fact. Second – keeping a clean bird cage is a good idea anyway for the bird’s benifit. The bird droppings and dropped food is a good place for mold and fungus to grow so regular cleaning is a good idea. Personally, I’m not too worried.

Response:

Filed under: Pet Bird Cage