Another deadly outbreak has been reported in European countries which claimed the lives of five and hospitalized many people.

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday reported an outbreak of Psittacosis also named parrot fever has affected the people who are living in several European countries.

Initially, parrot fever was identified in the year 2023, and persisted into the beginning of this year and it also reported the death of five people. Additional cases are reported in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. As per the World Health Organisation, parrot fever is mostly associated with infected birds.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Psittacosis also known as Parrot fever is caused by Chlamydia psittaci bacteria that infects birds. This bacteria typically infects people and causes Psittacosis. This bacteria can infect people when they are exposed to infected birds. The infected birds do not show any symptoms. But they can spread the bacteria through their droppings and secretions. The dust particles from these dried droppings and secretions get into the air.

The most common way to get the infection is by inhaling the small dust particles from the dried droppings and secretions and it is less common to infect people through bites and beak-to-mouth contact. Human-to-human transmission of Psittacosis is rare and there is no proof to confirm the spread of infection by preparing or eating poultry.

The bird owners, aviary and pet shop owners, poultry workers, and veterinarians are at increased risk of getting the infection. The common symptoms of the infection are fever and chills, headache, muscle aches, and dry cough, in severe cases, it may develop into pneumonia. The symptoms develop within 5-14 days after exposure to the bacteria.

There are no tests available to detect the bacteria, people infected with bacteria usually take antibiotics to treat and they recover quickly if they start taking antibiotics immediately after infection. If untreated it may develop into severe complications including pneumonia, endocarditis, hepatitis, and inflammation of the nerves or the brain.

The cases of infection are reported in several European countries. Austria reported 14 confirmed cases in 2023 and an additional four cases in March 2024, and this country every year reports two cases. Denmark annually notices 15 to 30 human infections and it confirmed 23 cases on February 27, in which 17 people were hospitalized and 15 people were diagnosed with pneumonia. Germany reported 14 confirmed cases in 2023 and five cases were reported this year. Sweden has noticed the cases since 2017, last November and December it reported more cases. The Netherlands has encountered a double in cases since December 2023 and annually it reports nine cases.

Most of the infected patients contended to have been exposed to birds, which exhorted examinations into the reason for increasing cases in infected countries.

Based on the current information there is no risk associated with the infection. The World Health Organization said that it will continue to monitor the outbreak.

References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/atypical/psittacosis/about/diagnosis-treatment-complications.html

 (Input from various sources)

 (Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)