By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

The Zhejiang Province, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting an outbreak of psittacosis, aka parrot fever, in Lishui City, according to Chinese media.

Image/Robert Herriman

Since the first cases were reported one month ago, seven total cases have been reported. A total of seven cases have been reported, including one individual still hospitalized and one fatality.

An investigation and surveillance into the outbreak has been instituted and no additional cases have been detected.

The provincial and municipal CDCs jointly carried out external environmental (bird swabs, feces and related pollutants) specimens monitoring, collected 74 specimens and 6 were positive for Chlamydophila psittaci, the agent of psittacosis.

The local CDC cooperated with the agricultural department immediately culling the poultry in the case’s home and carry out comprehensive disinfection of the case’s residence, poultry house, poultry free-range breeding ground and other related places, and strengthen the publicity and education of villagers’ psittacosis prevention knowledge.

Psittacosis is a disease caused by bacteria called Chlamydophila psittaci. It is usually transmitted by inhaling the agent from dried droppings or secretions of infected birds.

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Patients with psittacosis usually present fever, headache, rash, muscle pain, chills and dry cough. Pneumonia may sometimes occur, and occasional complications include encephalitis, myocarditis and thrombophlebitis.

The disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics. The disease is not normally transmitted from person to person.