The World Health Organization says cases of psittacosis—also known as parrot fever—are surging in Europe, and at least five people have died in an outbreak that began last year. The WHO says unusual numbers of cases have been reported in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, with most cases linked to exposure to wild or domestic birds. The infection is caused by bacteria in the Chlamydia family, CNN reports. People can get infected by breathing in dust from dried droppings or secretions from infected birds. Human-to-human transmission is rare but not unheard of. More: