Four people hospitalized for psittacosis in Argentina: what is the “parrot flu”

Four people are hospitalized in a hospital in the Santa Fe town of Rafaela for a bilateral pneumonia resulting from psittacosisan infectious disease that is usually transmitted to humans by some birds and is often called “parrot flu”.

Two of the four patients are hospitalized in the Intensive care unit of local hospital Jaime Ferre, one of them in delicate condition. According to information from health spokespersons, the contagion was awarded to a parrot that one of the patients brought home a few days earlier.

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The other two people admitted are under observation, in the general sector of the care center, no major complications Until now. Is about four adult peoplebelonging to the same family that lives in the Barranquitas neighborhood, in Rafaela.

They all presented a similar picture of bilateral pneumonia, for which reason they were hospitalized. Later, she was found to be a psittacosis shuntdisease caused by a bacteria called chlamydia psittaci and that transmit birds belonging to the family of parrots, parakeets, turkeys, and pigeonsamong other.

According to what was recorded by Télam, one of the patients was interviewed by the doctors and rarely that days before they had found a parrot and took it homealthough soon after the bird became ill and died.

The situation that causes in the health authorities of Santa Fe, since in the city of Rafaela there is a great number of these birdseither free or raised as pets inside the houses.

What is “parrot flu” and how is it spread?

Psittacosis is an acute and generalized infectious disease caused by the chlamydia psittacia type of bacteria found in bird droppings carried. Although it is popularly called “Parrot Flu”, specialists have expanded the term because it is not only these birds that carry the bacteria.

The Rafaela Regional Health Directorate reported that psittacosis can be transmitted by these animals through dried droppings, respiratory secretions, dust, feathers, eye secretions and even just by touching them. The incubation period can last between four and 15 days, although it is usually 10 days.

“Parrot flu”: What are the symptoms

The clinical picture can vary from an infection without obvious symptoms to a non-specific febrile illness or pneumonia. The illness usually mild or moderatebut sometimes it can cause diagnosis of gravesspecially in seniors and elderly that he does not receive treatment.

The most common symptoms of psittacosis are:

• fiber;
• constant headache;
• Shaking chills;
• fatigue;
• Fatigue
• Cough with little expectoration (in general mucous and viscous).
• Jaundice (in some cases).
• Pneumonia (in some cases).

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