A two-year-old Australian girl tragically passed away due to complications arising from avian paramyxovirus type 1, a virus known for causing deformities in pigeons’ necks, as reported by medical professionals.
The child, whose identity remains confidential, was battling leukemia, which weakened her immune system, making her susceptible to this rare virus. Also known as Newcastle disease, this virus was responsible for a rapid outbreak among British pigeons the previous year.
This virus typically results in only mild conjunctivitis in humans but can prove fatal for those with compromised immune systems. The young girl is among the few known human fatalities caused by this virus, with only four other recorded deaths in the Netherlands, the US, China, and France since the first recorded case in 1926.
Dr. Siobhan Hurley from the Prince of Wales Hospital in New South Wales commented on the case, noting the absence of any clear source of infection, such as recent travel or sick contacts. She speculated that the virus transmission likely occurred through accidental contact with infected pigeon feces or fluids.
Globally, there have been about 485 reported human cases of APMV-1, with more than half of these cases, around 288, being identified in Britain. The virus, first discovered in Newcastle in 1926, is highly contagious among wild and domestic birds.
In Britain, a recent surge in bird infections led to warnings about birds exhibiting twisted necks and mobility issues. The virus caused similar health complications in the other four human fatalities, with respiratory failure being a common cause of death. In France, another young girl succumbed to the virus after developing progressive seizures following a stem cell transplant for immunodeficiency.
The Australian girl’s case, as documented in Emerging Infectious Diseases, presented with severe symptoms. After three weeks of cold-like symptoms, she was hospitalized due to sickness and vomiting, soon after completing a second round of chemotherapy. Her condition rapidly deteriorated over four days, marked by seizures and high fever. Despite undergoing an MRI scan and receiving various treatments, including antimicrobials and anti-seizure medication, her condition did not improve. Brain scans eventually showed swelling and tissue death over a two-week period. Unfortunately, her treatment had to be ceased, leading to her death 27 days after hospital admission.
