Parrot fever outbreak in Europe, Indian travellers cautioned

The recent surge in SARSCoV2 cases in North India has prompted health authorities to stay vigilant Meanwhile a Psittacosis outbreak in Europe has led to five deaths and numerous hospitalisations Caution is advised to Indian travellers as this respiratory disease is highly contagious through the air and bird droplets Experts recommend strict sanitation measures mask usage and other precautionslsquoTake extra precautionrsquoldquoPsittacosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia Psittaci which primarily affects parrots and other birds The situation is closely being monitored by the WHO however the actual number of deaths and hospitalisations has not been publicisedrdquo said Dr Subhash Hira a member of WHOGeneva consultative groups for emerging pandemics who is closely monitoring the situation ldquoSince many Indians travel to European countries they need to take precautions by adhering to sanitation mask protection etc Psittacosis is also a respiratory disease and can be transmitted through air and bird droplets Also those having caged birds in affected countries need to be extra vigilantrdquo Dr Hira addedAlso known as parrot feverDr Wiqar Shaikh Professor of Medicine Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of hospitals said ldquoThe WHO is worried about the reported cases of Psittacosis in certain European countries from November 2023 onwards to date Austria Denmark Germany Sweden and the Netherlands have reported an increase in psittacosis cases in the past four months including five deaths ldquoInfected birds cause human transmission Both pet birds and wild birds are known to transmit the disease especially in those humans who look after pet birds poultry veterinarians and gardeners Humantohuman transmission has also been reportedrdquo Dr Shaikh addedAlso Read Herersquos how a Mumbaibased team rescued a mentally ill pregnant womanNumbers on riseldquoAffected European countries have now implemented epidemiological investigations to identify potential exposures and cluster casesrdquo said Dr Shaikh ldquoPsittacosis results in fever with chills headache body aches and a dry cough The commonest complication is the development of pneumonia Most patients develop symptoms 5 to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria An antibody test against psittacosis is used to confirm the disease Antibiotics such as macrolides and doxycycline are effective in controlling the disease The average mortality in psittacosis is 1 death in 100 casesrdquo Dr Shaikh added Notifying authorities about positive cases of Psittacosis is a mandate in existing lawsrdquo Dr Shaikh cautionedBe careful of caged birdsldquoBirds may shed the bacteria when they breathe or through their droppings People can also get sick if a bird bites them or through beaktomouth contact The disease is not spread through eating infected animals Antibiotics can treat the infection Human to human transmission is quite rare Pet owners should follow good hand hygiene and ensure that bird cages are kept cleanrdquo said Dr Ketan Vagholkar Professor of Surgery DY Patil Medical CollegeBlame new variant of COVIDWhen asked the reason behind the spike in COVID19 cases Dr Hira said ldquoThese spikes can be attributed to various factors such as a new highly transmissible mutant JN 1 of the virus freezing winters lax implementation of health measures large gatherings increased travels and a lack of compliance with social distancing and maskwearingsanitation guidelines Also the slow rollout of the booster vaccine campaign for the elderly and immunecompromised persons and limited access to healthcare services in certain regions may have also contributed to the surge in casesSymptomsRespiratory signs sneezing coughing difficulty breathing greenish discharge from eyes or nose dull feathers weight loss and potential fatality in birds Human symptoms vary Fever headache muscle pain dry cough shortness of breath pneumonia chest pain fatigue chills sore throat nausea and vomitingTreatmentAdminister antibiotics eg doxycycline or azithromycin for two weeks in both parrots and humans Consult a vet for diagnosis and treatment Prevent spread through hygiene practices like cleaning bird cages avoiding overcrowding and practicing handwashing after handling birds as told by Dr Subhash Hira5 to 14No of days taken to get affected after exposure