According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the bacterial infection known as parrot fever, which was first detected in 2023, has killed people in several European countries.
According to Live Science, the disease, which was also detected in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, affected a total of 90 people by March 5th. The most common respiratory infection in birds is caused by a bacterium belonging to the Chlamydia family, which can be found in wild and domestic birds as well as poultry. These infected animals often show no signs of illness, but can spread the pathogen through their breath or feces. People usually become infected by inhaling dust from infected birds. The disease is not spread by eating animals.
Transmission of the disease from person to person is very rare, only a few cases have been reported.
Thus, it is much more common in those who are in close contact with birds: poultry farmers, veterinarians and bird owners are therefore at increased risk. The symptoms of parrot fever are similar to the flu, with many people reporting headaches, muscle aches, dry coughs, fever and chills. These usually appear within 5 to 14 days after a person is exposed to the bacteria. Antibiotics are effective in curing the disease if used early in the infection and help prevent serious complications such as pneumonia and heart inflammation. Appropriate antibiotic treatment reduces the risk of death from 15 to only 1 percent.
In the five countries mentioned, far more cases than usual have been reported. In the majority of these, contact with infected wild or domesticated birds occurred, but in some cases, no recent contact with birds was reported at all. However, according to the WHO, there is no evidence of human transmission of psittacosis in these countries or internationally.
24.hu
pixabay
