[ad_1]
Cases of a rare bacterial infection called psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, are on the rise in Europe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO said in a statement earlier this week that five deaths have been reported in the outbreak, which first emerged last year and has spread to several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Parrot fever is a respiratory infection caused by bacteria in the Chlamydia family that infects both wild and pet birds. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human transmission of the disease occurs primarily through inhalation of dust particles found in the dried feces and secretions of infected birds.
Less commonly, it can be transmitted to humans through bird bites or beak-to-mouth contact. The CDC says human-to-human transmission is possible but rare, and there is no evidence that the bacteria that causes parrot fever can be spread by cooking or eating poultry.
People most at risk of contracting parrot fever are people who come into contact with birds and poultry in their jobs, such as pet owners, poultry workers, veterinarians, and owners of aviaries and pet stores. The WHO said most cases of parrot fever recorded since 2023 have involved exposure to wild and domestic birds.
Symptoms of parrot fever include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a dry cough, according to the CDC. Most infected people begin experiencing symptoms within 5 to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
Patients with parrot fever are treated with antibiotics and usually recover completely. However, for some people, it can cause more serious complications that require hospital treatment, such as pneumonia, endocarditis, hepatitis, and inflammation of the nerves and brain that can cause neurological problems.
According to the CDC, parrot fever rarely causes death (less than 1 in 100 cases).
Never miss a news. Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to human interest stories.
According to the WHO, affected European countries are conducting epidemiological investigations to identify potential exposures and clusters of cases. Typically around two cases of parrot fever are reported in Austria per year, but as of March 4, 14 cases have been reported in 2023, with four more cases expected in 2023. has been done.
In Denmark, as of February 27, 23 people had tested positive for psittacosis, 15 of whom developed pneumonia, and four of them died. In Germany, 19 cases of infection were confirmed between January 2023 and February 19, 2024.
Sweden, on the other hand, reported a normally high number of infections (26 people) from late November to early December. Thirteen cases of infection have been reported in the country this year. According to the WHO, the number of infections in the Netherlands between late December and late February was twice that of the same period last year.
[ad_2]
Source link
