A deadly outbreak of psittacosis, a bacterial infection also known as parrot fever, has affected people living in several European countries, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
The outbreak was initially noted in 2023 and has continued through the start of this year. The deaths of five people have been reported.
Parrot fever is caused by bacteria in the Chlamydia family that is found in a variety of wild and pet birds and poultry. Infected birds don’t always seem sick, but they shed the bacteria when they breathe or poop.
Humans commonly catch parrot fever by breathing in the dust from an infected bird’s secretions, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People can also get sick if a bird bites them or through beak-to-mouth contact. The disease is not spread through eating infected animals.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/parrot-fever-outbreak-europe/index.html