Parrot Fever Explained | New outbreak in Europe! A deadly disease called Parrot Fever is spreading, has already swallowed the lives of so many people.

The latest in a wave of diseases sweeping the world is an infectious disease called ‘psittacosis’, a deadly outbreak of which has been reported in Europe. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that the bacterial infection – also known as ‘parrot fever’ – has affected people living in several European countries. According to reports, its outbreak was first seen in 2023. This continued till the beginning of this year and has taken the lives of five people so far. Most cases reported exposure to wild and or domestic birds.

WHO said that in February 2024, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands reported through the EU’s ‘Early Warning and Response System’ (EWRS) that an increase in psittacosis cases was seen in 2023 and 2020. Early 2024, specifically marked by November-December 2023.

What is psittacosis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chlamydia psittaci is a type of bacteria that infects birds. Although this is not very common, the bacteria can also infect people and cause a disease called ‘psittacosis’, which can cause mild illness or pneumonia (lung infection). To prevent this disease, good precautions should be taken when handling and cleaning birds and cages. It should be noted that an infected bird may not always look sick, but it may release bacteria when it breathes or defecates.

How does human infection occur?

According to WHO, human infection occurs mainly through contact with the secretions of infected birds. It is mostly associated with people who work with pet birds, poultry workers, veterinarians, pet bird owners and gardeners in areas where C. psittaci is ‘epizootic’ in native bird populations.

transfer

WHO says C. psittaci is associated with more than 450 bird species and has also been found in various mammalian species such as dogs, cats, horses, pigs and reptiles. Birds, especially domesticated birds (psittacine birds, finches, canaries, and pigeons), are often involved in causing human psittacosis. Transmission of the disease to humans occurs primarily through inhalation of airborne particles from respiratory secretions, dried feces, or feather dust. It says direct contact with birds is not required for infection to occur.

It should be known that psittacosis is a mild disease, the symptoms of which include:- symptoms

fever and chills

Headache

muscle pain

dry cough

Most people develop symptoms within 5 to 14 days of exposure to the bacteria. Prompt antibiotic treatment is effective; This prevents complications like pneumonia.

WHO advice

WHO recommends the following measures for prevention and control of psittacosis:-

To increase the awareness of physicians to test suspected cases of C. psittaci for diagnosis using RT-PCR.

There is growing awareness among caged or household bird owners that the pathogen can spread even without obvious disease.

Quarantining newly acquired birds. If a bird is sick, contact a veterinarian for examination.

To monitor C. psittaci in wild birds, including potentially existing samples collected for other reasons.

Encouraging people with pet birds to keep cages clean; Place cages in such a way that feces cannot spread between them and avoid overcrowded cages.

Promote good hygiene, including frequent hand washing when handling birds, their feces and their environment.

Standard infection-control practices and droplet transmission precautions should be implemented for hospitalized patients.