![]() ![]() Indeed, psittacines, especially parrots, are more aggressive than passerines and would then rather be kept in pairs than groups. Passeriforms and psittacines are housed under different conditions, due to their respective behavior. veterinarians, traders or shop owners) in particular and the human population in general, and to assess the eventual health and economic consequences, and propose some guidelines to prevent transmission from such birds to humans.įull size table 2.1 Direct contact 2.1. The aim of this review is to enlighten and discuss the risks encountered by bird handlers (including children), professional workers (e.g. Some of these pathologies could have an important impact on human health, like chlamydophilosis, salmonellosis or even highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1, but also have an economic impact if some of these pathogens are spread via carriers or vectors like wild birds, human beings, insects or mites to poultry breeding units or cattle facilities, then entering the food chain. Notwithstanding these socio-economic facts, these animals are potential carriers and/or transmitters of zoonotic diseases. ara or cockatoo), legally or illegally traded from for example Asia or South America, remain high in the ranking of popular pets and are also profusely represented in zoos and parks. Finally, exotic birds like greater psittaciforms (parrots, e.g. As a consequence, their offspring could be sold at high for rising prices. In addition, some species are bred for their very high value for example, in the case of canaries, male and female breeding stock reproducers with recognized genetic potential are presented in national and international contests for their posture (the Bossu Belge), their color (red mosaic) or for their song (Harzer). Bird fairs and live bird markets also gather a lot of people. Prices are about the same for zebra finches or budgerigars, and 50% to 100% higher for “special” finches like Gould diamonds. Many families own their “kitchen pet bird”, which represents a lucrative business for pet shops or local breeders, since a single male canary is sold around 30 euros in Belgium and a female around 20 euros. In 2011, the Association Ornithologique de Belgique (AOB) registered 249 ornithological societies authorized to identify their birds by an official ring. In Belgium, every bred bird has to be identified by a ring sharing a number directly connected to the breeder’s owner (Arrêté du Gouvernement wallon fixant des dérogations aux mesures de protection des oiseaux, AM ). In 2010, following a study made by the FACCO ( chambre syndicale des Fabricants d'Aliments préparés pour Chiens, Chats, Oiseaux et autres animaux familiers), 6 million pet birds are owned by French people. ![]() A statistical study made by the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) recorded 11 to 16 million companion and exotic birds in the United States in 2007. It is a rather unknown vet’s clientship fraction. ![]() canaries, finches, sparrows: see Table 1), also called songbirds, and psittaciformes (parrots, parakeets, budgerigars, love birds: see Table 1). This category includes and will refer later in this paper to mainly passeriformes (e.g. The term “Pet bird” designates birds housed and bred for an exclusively ornamental use. Finally, biosecurity and hygiene, as well as prevention guidelines will be developed and perspectives proposed. Public health consequences will be discussed and emphasis will be made on some vector-borne diseases, known to be emergent or which are underestimated, like those transmitted by the red mite Dermanyssus gallinae. This review paper, although non exhaustive, aims at enlightening, by the description of several cases of bird-human transmission, the risks encountered by bird owners, including children. Some of them could have an important impact on human health, like chlamydophilosis, salmonellosis or even highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1. These animals, however, are potential carriers and/or transmitters of zoonotic diseases. Bought individually or in couples, as families often do (which is a lucrative business for pet shops or local breeders) or traded (sometimes illegally) for their very high genetic or exotic value, these birds, commonly canaries, parakeets or parrots, are regularly sold at high prices. Pet birds are a not-so-well known veterinarian’s clientship fraction. ![]()
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