United States: In a surge reminiscent of the onset of COVID-19, an enigmatic ailment has admitted numerous individuals to hospitals in Argentina.
On the eve of April 17, a warning regarding the ailment was disseminated through an international public health monitoring system as 60 individuals fell victim to the malady in Buenos Aires, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Just as Covid seized global attention in late 2019, the alert that notified authorities in Argentina last night emanated from the same repository, known as ProMed.
Transmitted anonymously “by an entity recognized by ProMed,” yesterday’s notification conveyed: “Over the past month, there appears to have been a surge in severe unconventional pneumonia necessitating critical medical intervention in Buenos Aires. The affected individuals are predominantly youthful, lacking significant predisposing factors,” according to dailystar.co.uk.
While official pronouncements from Argentinian authorities are absent, patients are purportedly in need of mechanical respiratory support.
The alert further hinted that more than a third of the afflicted populace exhibited signs of psittacosis, induced by a strain of chlamydia prevalent in avian species. However, many of the afflicted lacked an evident history of avian exposure, the alert highlighted.
Psittacosis, dubbed parrot fever, manifests typically with symptoms akin to influenza, including mild cephalalgia and a cough, though in severe instances, it may precipitate pneumonia. The condition can pose particular challenges for the elderly or individuals with compromised immune systems.
The alert appended: “While psittacosis appears to underlie some instances, there could be multiple causative agents at play. ProMED requests further elucidation on these instances,” dailystar.co.uk mentioned.
According to the Mail, experts today urged health authorities not to adopt a “complacent” stance in light of the potential emergence of another respiratory ailment, though it was emphasized that it is “improbable that this will pose a widespread threat.”