JEDDAH, 28 March 2006 — Those who work with birds or come into contact with them regularly are mindful of the risk the H5N1 avian flu virus poses, as it is they that have been infected the most. As the virus made its way across the farms of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, suburban dwellers and those who don’t handle birds were lulled into a “false sense of security,” as one prominent Jeddah veterinarian told Arab News.
“Those who live in the city also need to take measures. Most city dwellers don’t realize how much feces surround them everyday,” Dr. Deborah Zahid, owner of Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic, said on Sunday.
Zahid is not referring to the occasional dropping splashed across the windshield or on a clothing item whilst outdoors. She is referring to piles of it that have accumulated over time in a place most don’t even consider.
“The majority of air conditioners in the country are the window-type, which protrude through the wall,” she said. “When a female pigeon lands on the outside of the unit, a male usually follows. Wanting to mate, he presses the female up against the wall, while he turns circles around himself. As he does this he defecates all over the top, the back and the sides of the A/C.
“As time passes, and more pigeons perch there, the feces accumulate. As the A/C is turned on, any airborne avian pathogens that may be present in the feces are sucked into the A/C and spread throughout the room. If a bird infected with the Newcastle virus defecates on your A/C, then you may end up with a mild case of conjunctivitis, but if it’s infected with H5N1, things could be much worse,” Zahid explained.
The solution, according to Zahid, is to place something against the wall on top of the air-conditioner from the outside that would prevent the birds from landing. “Birds don’t like perching at an angle, especially when they cannot grip. By using something that is smooth and angled, and covers the entire top of the A/C, pigeons and other birds will no longer be able to make their deposits on your A/C,” Zahid said.
