In this article, the World Health Organization has warned about an increase in cases of psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, in four European countries in 2023 and especially early 2024. Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands have reported this abnormal situation via the European Union’s Early Warning and Response System (EWRS). At present, five deaths have been recorded, and in most cases, exposure to wild or domestic birds has been reported.
Psittacosis is a respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci. This bacterium often infects birds that can transmit it to humans through contact with their secretions. Therefore, people at risk of contracting this zoonosis are those who work with contaminated animals (bird keepers, veterinarians, etc.) or who own pet birds.
Symptoms of psittacosis include fever and chills, headache, muscle aches, and dry cough. In most cases, symptoms begin to appear in infected persons 5 to 14 days after exposure to the bacterium.
Diagnosing psittacosis can be difficult since the symptoms of this disease are not specific. If you experience symptoms after being exposed to birds, you should immediately consult a doctor. Diagnosis is made based on tests to detect Chlamydia psittaci. This can be done from the patient’s sputum, blood, or samples taken from the nose or throat.
The treatment of psittacosis involves the use of antibiotics. Symptoms disappear quickly if treatment is started early. Most infected people fully recover after the infection.
Complications may occur, requiring hospitalization of the patient. These complications include pneumonia (lung infection), endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), hepatitis (liver inflammation), and inflammation of the nerves or brain, leading to neurological problems.
Epidemiological investigations are underway in four European countries affected by this increase in cases. The aim is to identify the modes of exposure of birds and identify possible groups. In addition, “the measures implemented include the analysis of samples from wild birds submitted to avian influenza detection tests to check the prevalence of C. psittaci among wild birds,” explains the WHO. “The World Health Organization continues to monitor the situation and, based on the available information, assesses the risk posed by this event as low.”
For now, no cases have been reported in France.