Geneva: A deadly outbreak of psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, has claimed the lives of five people in European countries, according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday. The report said the countries of Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands reported an increase in psittacosis cases in February 2024 from last year.
Among the five deaths, exposure to wild and/or domestic birds was reported in most of the cases. Austria reported 14 cases in 2023 and four this year, Denmark saw 23 cases till February 27 and Germany saw five cases in 2024, in addition to 14 cases last year. Sweden reported seven cases reported in November 2023 and 19 cases in December 2023, while the 1 individuals reported as positive for C. psittaci as of 29 February 2024, while the Netherlands reported 21 positive cases from late December till February.
What is parrot fever?
Parrot fever, also known as psittacosis, is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia psittaci. It primarily affects birds, including parrots, parakeets, cockatiels, and pigeons, but can also be transmitted to humans.
According to the WHO, human infections occur mainly through contact with secretions from infected birds and are mostly associated with those who work with pet birds, poultry workers, veterinarians, pet bird owners, and gardeners in areas with the bacteria resides. The Chlamydia psittaci bacteria can be found in the droppings and secretions of infected birds.
When a person comes into contact with the bacteria, they can develop flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. In more severe cases, it can also cause pneumonia and other respiratory problems. The bacteria is associated with over 450 avian species and has also been found in various mammalian species, including dogs, cats, horses, large and small ruminants, swine, and reptiles.
Patterns of psittacosis outbreaks
There have been various reasons for the increase in parrot fever cases in these countries, including changes in diagnostic procedures and exposure to wild birds.
- Austria reported 14 cases last year but none of the individuals reported traveling abroad or coming into contact with wild birds.
- Denmark has reported between 15 to 30 human cases annually for the last five years, most of which have been linked to exposure to domestic birds and ducks handled during hunting. Out of the 23 cases, 17 people had been hospitalised, 15 had pneumonia and four died.
- In the Netherlands, all 21 individuals infected of parrot fever were hospitalised and one of them died. Six of the 21 cases reported since late December 2023 have noted contact with droppings of wild birds, seven had contact with droppings of domestic birds, and eight cases did not report any contact with birds.
- Sweden has also reported a general increase in psittacosis cases since 2017, which could be associated with the increased use of more sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels. It jumped from seven to 19 cases from November to December 2023, more than double, but the 10 cases in 2021 are lower than the average number of cases in the last five years.
- Among the 19 cases notified from January 1, 2023, to February 19, 2024, in Germany, none had information on exposure to wild birds, although 26 per cent of the cases reported exposure to domesticated birds such as parrots, chickens, or breeding pigeons.
What has the WHO recommended?
The WHO has recommended increasing the awareness of clinicians to test suspected cases of C. psittaci for diagnosis using RT-PCR to stem the outbreak of parrot fever. It also advised increasing awareness among caged or domestic bird owners, especially psittacines, that the pathogen can be carried without apparent illness.
It also called for quarantining newly acquired birds, conducting surveillance of C. psittaci in wild birds, encouraging people with pet birds to keep cages clean, promote good hygiene and conduct tandard infection-control practices.
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