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An outbreak of a respiratory transmission that most often affects birds has killed five the great unwashed in Europe , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) warns .
During 2023 and the get-go of 2024 , Austria , Denmark , Germany , Sweden and the Netherlands have report an " unusual and unexpected increase " in fount of so - call parrot febricity , beyond what ’s been seen in old yr , the WHO saidin a statementTuesday ( March 5 ) . In all , the illness has pretend almost 90 people , with five deaths reported among them .
Five European countries are experiencing what the WHO is calling an “unusual and unexpected” increase in human cases of parrot fever, a respiratory infection that predominantly affects birds.
Parrot fever , orpsittacosis , is do by a species of bacterium calledChlamydia psittaci(also spelledChlamydophila psittaci).The bacteria can taint many mammal — include dogs , cats and horse — but most often infects birds .
Humans can get parrot fever by inhaling airborne particles containingC. psittaci , buthuman - to - humantransmission of the diseaseis very rarefied , with only a fistful of cases ever describe . Instead , most multitude arise parrot fever by inhaling particles that waft from the breath , poop or feather dust of septic birdie , especially pet such as parrots , finches or stool pigeon .
The disease is thus more common in people who come into close contact lens with hoot — such as poultry workers , veterinarians and pet - hiss owners .
Parrot fever, or psittacosis, is caused by the bacteriumChlamydia psittaci, illustrated above.
That said , C. psittaciinfection is possible without suffer lineal striking with birds , and there ’s no evidence that the bacterium can be spread bypreparing or eating poultry .
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Psittacosis typically causes meek illness in human being . Its symptomsresemble those of the influenza — such asfever , shiver , headache and wry cough — and usually appear within five to 14 days after a mortal is exposed to the bacteria . antibiotic in effect bring around the disease if they ’re used early in the course of action of infection , and they aid prevent serious complications , such aspneumonia and inflammation of the kernel .
Appropriate treatment with antibiotic can reduce the death rate of psittacosis frombetween 15 % and 20 % to just 1 % .
The five country touch by the current psittacosis uptick have reported far more case than common . Some of these case were suspected , based on symptoms , and others were confirmed with various diagnostic tests . Notably , most cases involved contact with infected wild or preferent birds . But in some subject , recent inter-group communication with shuttle was n’t reported at all .
Austria , for instance , usually has around two human parrot fever case a year . But in 2023 , 14 were report , and four more occurred between Jan. 1 and March 4 , 2024 . These cases were unrelated , and none of the patients had travel abroad or had contact with risky bird .
In late age , Denmark has usually had 15 to 30 parrot fever cases annually . However , from later 2023 to belated February 2024 , around 23 hoi polloi have been infected . Of these cases , 17 people were hospitalized , 15 developed pneumonia and four died . One case was link up to an septic ducky bird . Of the 15 other cases with available information , 12 had lineal liaison with wild birds , primarily via bird feeders , while four said they ’d had no impinging with birds .
Germany commonly has around 15 cases a year but saw 19 in 2023 and former 2024 . Eighteen of the 19 cases result in pneumonia , with 16 people hospitalized due to their contagion . In the Netherlands , 21 people got ornithosis between December 2023 and late February 2024 — twice as many as did in the same point in prior years . Everyone was hospitalise , and one mortal choke . Thirteen had liaison with either wild or pet bird droppings , and eight had no contact with birds .
Sweden saw 26 vitrine of psittacosis in November and December 2023 — double the identification number regard in the same point in old year . But complicating the picture , the state then saw a miserable - than - average total of 13 cases in January and February 2024 .
Further probe is needed to check whether the gain in cases across countries is really because more hoi polloi are developing the disease , or rather that more case are being discover thanks to improved surveillance and diagnostic proficiency , the WHO suppose .
Nevertheless , " the concerned area have implemented epidemiological probe to identify likely pic and clusters of event , " the WHO said . Samples from risky birds that have been submitted to the lab to test foravian grippe , or bird flu , are also being analyzed for signs ofC. psittaciinfection .
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There ’s no indication that parrot disease is being fan out by humans within these state or internationally , and the peril of human - to - human transmission is low , the WHO said . In the meantime , the organisation advises pet - bird owners to keep their animals ' cage clear , head off overcrowd their favorite , and wash off their hands when handling the bird or their poop . Newly acquired birds should also be quarantined when first get home and taken to the vet if ill .
Psittacosis symptom in birdsinclude poor appetence , a rippled appearance and eye or nose discharge . Death rate motley by species but can be50 % or morein parrot , for example .
This article is for informational intent only and is not meant to pop the question aesculapian advice .
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