The case study talks about an 11-year-old boy from east Delhi who developed potentially fatal allergic reactions after prolonged contact with pigeon feathers and droppings, as he was facing severe breathing difficulties and coughing as well. A new case study of a boy, who developed potentially fatal allergic reactions after prolonged contact with pigeon feathers and droppings, has brought to light severe health risks related to long-term exposure to the bird. The 11-year-old from east Delhi was brought to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here with what initially seemed like a routine cough, doctors said in the study.
His condition, however, worsened as his respiratory functions declined, they said in a statement. The child was diagnosed with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP), which was triggered by an allergic reaction to pigeon proteins, and required immediate medical attention, Dr Dhiren Gupta, Co-Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), said. Medical tests showed lung inflammation and opacities consistent with HP, he said.
Opacities refer to areas appearing white on a chest radiograph, when they should be darker. Gupta explained that HP is a chronic interstitial lung disease, in which the organ gets scarred, making it difficult to breathe. The condition is more common among adults and rare in children, affecting 2-4 per one lakh population in a year, he added.
The boy was administered steroids and provided breathing support via high-flow oxygen therapy, in which the gas.