Birds carry the bacterial infection, which is usually acquired via contact with diseased animals or by breathing in dust from their feathers or dried excrement. Veterinary professionals, gardeners, chicken workers, and pet owners are among the groups more vulnerable.
This year, a recent outbreak of psittacosis, also referred to as “parrot fever,” has killed at least five individuals in Europe.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there were additional hospitalizations in Austria, Germany, and Sweden, along with four deaths in Denmark and one in the Netherlands.
The bacterial infection, transmitted by birds, is typically contracted through contact with infected animals or by inhaling particles from their feathers or dried feces. Those at a higher risk include pet owners, poultry workers, gardeners, and veterinarians.
Symptoms of parrot fever are generally mild, including fever, aches, and coughing, but in severe cases, it can progress to pneumonia. WHO reports a mortality rate of about one in 100 patients.
In recent months, the number of cases in Europe has surpassed average yearly numbers. Austria, which records at least 14 occurrences in the last months of 2023 and four more in March 2024, is a country that typically records two cases a year. In Denmark, where 15 to 30 instances a year are average, by February 27 at least 23 cases had been documented, resulting in 17 hospital admissions. Since December 2023, the number of cases in the Netherlands has doubled.
The majority of afflicted patients claimed to have been exposed to birds, which prompted inquiries into the cause of the increases by all impacted countries. WHO has determined that there is no risk associated with the current outbreak, even with the rise in cases.
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