By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

In a follow-up on a report in August, health officials in Osorno confirmed an increase in confirmed cases of psittacosis, which would have originated in agricultural companies in Puerto Octay, Los Lagos region.

Chile map/CIA

The new cases are linked with the index case, the 28-year-old veterinarian who at the end of July was admitted seriously due to pneumonia at the San José Base hospital , being transferred at life risk to Santiago and with an unconfirmed diagnosis, later to work in companies in the lake district. At that time he was suspected of having Q Fever.

It would be later when the Institute of Public Health confirmed that his infection was caused by Chlamydophila psittaci , a type of bacteria found in bird droppings, which transmit the infection to humans.

Since then, the health network activated an emergency protocol to investigate other cases, as revealed by the epidemiologist of the Seremi de Salud in Osorno, Cristian Rosas.

Rosa indicated that to date the confirmed cases amount to 15 who have shown positive antibodies to Chlamydophila , for which they maintain studies that they estimate will last until the end of the year.

The source of the disease is still under investigation.