Birds Quarantined At Metro Atlanta PetSmarts
ATLANTA -- All birds at PetSmart stores in metro Atlanta and the rest of Georgia are under a quarantine after an outbreak of a bird disease that can be transferred to humans.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture ordered the quarantine at the PetSmarts, plus a Superpetz store in Martinez outside of Augusta due to psittacosis, Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin announced Monday.
Psittacosis is a bacterial disease that primarily affects parrots, parakeets and other members of the parrot family. It is treatable but can be fatal to the birds. Only in rare cases does it infect poultry.
The disease produces flu-like symptoms in humans, but it does not respond to treatments for the flu. The disease is especially dangerous to the young, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, such as persons with chronic disease, AIDS or HIV infection or those taking chemotherapy for cancer.
"We have had two confirmed cases of psittacosis at PetSmart stores in Hiram and Woodstock. There have also been confirmed cases at the dealer, Preferred Birds of Milton, Florida, that supplied birds to all the stores we are quarantining," said Irvin.
Birds Quarantined At Metro Atlanta PetSmarts - News Story - WSB Atlanta
