Histoplasmosis is caused by Histoplasma, a fungus that lives in the soil, particularly where there's a large amount of bird or bat poop. The infection ranges from mild to life-threatening.
How poisonous is bat poop?
Scattered bat droppings (guano) do not pose a risk and can be safely swept up or vacuumed. Of course - the dust often found in attics may be an irritant, and you might be wise to wear a dust mask - there is very little risk of histoplasmosis.
Can you get sick from bat poop?
Histoplasmosis is a disease associated with the droppings of bats known as guano. The disease primarily affects the lungs and can be life-threatening, particularly to those with a weakened immune system. It is transmitted when a person inhales spores from fungus that grow on bird and bat droppings.
What do you do if you find bat poop?
Generally there is nothing to worry about with bat droppings. In very rare situations some people can develop allergies, so we suggest you wash your hands after handling any droppings. If you need to clean up a large number of droppings then you might want to consider wearing a dust mask.
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