Health
‘Parrot fever’ outbreaks cause 5 deaths in Europe, sparking warnings
A bacterial infection known as parrot fever has killed five people in Europe, according to an announcement from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The illness is caused by a bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci), which often originates from birds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An increase in cases was reported by Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands, starting in late 2023 and continuing into 2024.
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Five deaths have been reported.
“Exposure to wild and/or domestic birds was reported in most of the cases,” WHO wrote in the announcement.
A bacterial infection known as parrot fever has killed five people in Europe, according to an announcement from the World Health Organization. (iStock)
“Human infections occur mainly through contact with secretions from infected birds and are mostly associated with those who work with pet birds, poultry workers, veterinarians, pet bird owners and gardeners in areas where C. psittaci is epizootic in the native bird population.”
The countries are investigating exposures in the cases and analyzing samples from wild birds that were originally obtained for avian influenza testing.
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“The World Health Organization continues to monitor the situation and, based on the available information, assesses the risk posed by this event as low,” the statement said.
The condition is rare in the U.S., only affecting about 10 people per year, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor.
How is this illness spread?
“Parrot fever can easily spread among birds when they are in close contact or confined in small spaces,” Donal Bisanzio, PhD, a senior epidemiologist with RTI International, a research institute in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital.
While not all infected birds will show symptoms, most will have some behavioral changes.
Those at highest risk for parrot fever include people who own birds or work closely with bird pets. (iStock)
“Birds affected by parrot fever will often have reduced appetite, lethargy, weight loss, diarrhea (usually with yellowish droppings), ocular discharge and breathing issues,” said Bisanzio.
“Parrot fever is also a zoonosis, meaning it can be transmitted to humans by infected birds,” he added.
Most people are exposed by breathing in airborne dust particles from infected birds’ droppings and respiratory secretions, which contain the bacteria.
Direct contact with birds can also transmit the infection.
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Those at highest risk include people who own birds or work closely with pet birds, such as pet shop employees, poultry farm workers or veterinarians, according to Bisanzio.
“Humans can be exposed to the bacterium causing the disease by handling infected birds or cleaning their cages,” he said.
Pet owners should always have newly acquired birds or birds showing symptoms of the disease examined by veterinarians specializing in bird health, the expert recommended.
Those at highest risk for parrot fever include people who own birds or work closely with pet birds, such as pet shop employees, poultry farm workers or veterinarians, according to an expert. (iStock)
Droppings left on bird feeders could also be a potential source of exposure.
“People should be careful when cleaning and replenishing bird feeders in areas affected by the outbreaks,” Bisanzio said.
The bacteria has not been found to spread through cooking or consumption of poultry.
Human outbreak risk is low, experts say
Although C. psittaci has been found in other small mammals — including dogs, cats, horses and reptiles — birds are most likely to transmit the bacteria to humans.
“It is not easily transferable from human to human, so it will not cause a large outbreak and is dependent on exposure to birds that have it,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
“A significant portion of reported cases have required hospitalization due to pneumonia symptoms.”
Given the rarity of human-to-human transmission, Bisanzio said the disease typically leads to small, localized outbreaks in humans, often associated with exposure to pet or wild birds.
“Many cases have reported contact with wild birds, which suggests a potential outbreak of parrot fever in the wild bird population in the affected areas,” he said.
In the current European outbreaks, Bisanzio noted that more information is needed to better understand the source of exposure.
People infected by C. psittaci usually exhibit flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, diarrhea, cough, muscle pain and fatigue. (iStock)
“Countries where outbreaks have been reported, as well as their neighboring countries, should enhance surveillance of both wild birds and pet birds that may come into contact with wild birds,” he said.
“Physicians practicing in outbreak areas and regions at high risk of transmission should be made aware of the potential exposure risk for individuals and encouraged to test those presenting symptoms that could be associated with parrot diseases.”
Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
People infected by C. psittaci usually exhibit flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, diarrhea, cough, muscle pain and fatigue, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms usually begin within five to 14 days after exposure.
If left untreated, the disease can progress to pneumonia.
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“Since Dec. 2013, European countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands have reported an increased number of human cases, some of which have been fatal, prompting concern among public health authorities in Europe,” said Bisanzio.
“A significant portion of reported cases have required hospitalization due to pneumonia symptoms.”
Parrot fever can be diagnosed by collecting phlegm, blood or nose and/or throat cultures.
Pet owners should always have newly acquired birds or birds showing symptoms of the disease examined by veterinarians specializing in bird health, an expert recommended. (iStock)
After diagnosis, antibiotics can be prescribed to treat the infection and alleviate symptoms, per the CDC.
Most people recover fully, but in rare cases the infection can cause complications including pneumonia, inflammation of the heart valves, hepatitis and neurologic problems.
With antibiotics, less than one in every 100 cases is fatal.
People who have been in contact with wild or pet birds and are experiencing symptoms of parrot fever should see a doctor for evaluation and treatment, experts advise.
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Small fragments of plastic were found in the tumors of most prostate cancer patients, according to a new study from NYU Langone Health.
In past studies, microplastics have been found in almost every human organ and in bodily fluids, but their impact on human health still isn’t fully understood.
The researchers analyzed tissue samples from 10 patients with prostate cancer who underwent surgery to remove the entire organ.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples, according to the study press release.
In past studies, microplastics were found in almost every single human organ along with bodily fluids, even the placenta. (iStock)
The cancerous tissue contained on average more than double the amount of plastic as healthy prostate tissue samples, the study found. This equates to about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared to 16 micrograms.
Researchers avoided contaminating the samples with other plastics by substituting standard tools with those made of aluminum, cotton and other non-plastic material, the release noted.
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The scientists say this is the first direct evidence linking microplastics to prostate cancer.
“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” said senior study author Vittorio Albergamo, assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in the release.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples. (iStock)
The study findings were presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco on Feb. 26.
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“What is most striking is not that microplastics were detected, but that they were found embedded within tumor tissue itself,” Dr. David Sidransky, oncologist and medical advisor at SpotitEarly, a startup that offers an at-home breath-based test to detect early-stage cancer, told Fox News Digital.
“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure.”
“We already know microplastics are present in water, air, blood and even placental tissue. Their detection in prostate tumors suggests systemic distribution and long-term bioaccumulation,” added Maryland-based Sidransky, who was not involved in the study.
Study limitations
Albergamo cautioned that a larger sample is needed to confirm the findings. Additionally, Sidransky noted that the presence of microplastics alone does not prove they cause cancer.
“Tumors can act as ‘biologic sinks,’ meaning they may accumulate circulating particles simply because of altered vasculature and permeability,” he said.
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A key unanswered question, according to the doctor, is whether microplastics are biologically active in ways that “promote DNA damage, immune modulation or chronic inflammation within the prostate.”
About one in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The most actionable step men can take is appropriate screening and early detection, according to doctors. (iStock)
For those concerned about microplastics, Sidransky offered some insights.
“I believe the appropriate response is curiosity, not panic, and a commitment to understand more,” he said.
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“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure, such as minimizing heating food in plastic containers, reducing bottled water consumption when possible, and favoring glass or stainless steel alternatives.”
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The most actionable step men can take, however, is getting appropriate screenings to help ensure early detection, according to the doctor. Screening discussions should be individualized based on age, family history and other risk factors.
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There has been a shake-up in the Make America Healthy Again movement regarding glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that has been the subject of significant controversy.
The debate follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that ensures an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides related to national defense.
MAHA supporters have previously pushed a pesticide-free agenda, warning of potential health harms caused by glyphosate.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said he believes there is sufficient evidence linking glyphosate to neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis, to warrant limiting exposure.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ensures an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides related to national defense. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
“With Parkinson’s, this association appears to be due to the gut, vagus nerve and brain axis, where the exposure affects the microbiome in the gut, which then ascends slowly up to the brain, causing the neurodegenerative disease years later,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
“There is also a growing association being found between high-dose glyphosate or occupational exposure and metabolic disorders, liver disease and some cancers, specifically lymphoma.”
He added, “Growing research backs this. I favor limiting it.”
“When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk.”
Studies have shown that glyphosate, which is used in products such as Roundup, owned by Monsanto, could raise cancer risk.
In one University of Washington study published in the journal Mutation Research, researchers found that exposure to it increased the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41%.
The nonprofit Investigate Midwest, which analyzed data from both the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Cancer Institute, also recently found that pesticides may contribute to cancer rates.
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Among the top 500 counties for per-square-mile pesticide use, more than 60% had cancer rates above the national average of 460 cases per 100,000 people, according to the report.
Investigate Midwest, which is based in Illinois, interviewed more than 100 farmers, environmentalists, lawmakers and scientists as part of a partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship.
Among the top 500 counties for per-square-mile pesticide use, more than 60% had cancer rates above the national average of 460 cases per 100,000 people, according to one study. (iStock)
Iowa, which used 53 million pounds of pesticides last year, holds the nation’s title for second-highest cancer rate.
Bill Billings, a resident of Red Oak, Iowa, was diagnosed with cancer in 2014.
“The cancer specialist said, very directly, (my) cancer is a result of being exposed to chemicals,” Billings said in the report.
Kelly Ryerson, founder of Glyphosate Facts and owner of the Instagram account @glyphosategirl, told Fox News Digital her journey researching the herbicide began with her own health struggles.
Ryerson, who is based in California, previously struggled with chronic illness and autoimmune issues, which she said improved when she stopped eating gluten.
Iowa, which used 53 million pounds of pesticides last year, holds the nation’s title for second-highest cancer rate. (iStock)
After attending a medical conference at Columbia University’s Celiac Disease Center, Ryerson began to question modern farming practices rather than the gluten itself.
“A lot of times, farmers are spraying Roundup on our grains right before harvest to facilitate an easier harvest,” she said. “After that easier harvest, because everything’s dry at the same time, those crops go directly to the mill and may end up in our food supply, at alarmingly high levels.”
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In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization framework, classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
The classification was based on limited evidence of cancer in humans (notably non-Hodgkin lymphoma in some studies) and sufficient evidence in experimental animals.
“President Trump’s executive order reinforces the critical need for U.S. farmers to have access to essential, domestically produced crop protection tools, such as glyphosate,” a Monsanto spokesperson said. (Wolf von Dewitz/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Monsanto told Fox News Digital it will comply with Trump’s order to produce glyphosate and elemental phosphorus.
“President Trump’s executive order reinforces the critical need for U.S. farmers to have access to essential, domestically produced crop protection tools, such as glyphosate,” the spokesperson said.
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been a vocal critic of Roundup, working with his legal team in 2018 to award $289 million to a man who alleged the weed killer caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to reports.
Following backlash to Trump’s executive order, Kennedy said he supports the order but acknowledged that “pesticides and herbicides are toxic by design, engineered to kill living organisms.”
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“When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk,” he posted on X. “Chemical manufacturers have paid tens of billions of dollars to settle cancer claims linked to their products, and many agricultural communities report elevated cancer rates and chronic disease.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
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