A YOUNG woman is severely disabled after contracting a rare brain disease “most probably” from inhaling faeces dust from parrots or budgies at a pet store where she worked, it has been claimed before the High Court.
Patricia Ingle (22), who is paralysed and uses a wheelchair, claims she suffered her permanently disabling injuries after contracting chlamydia psittacosis– an airborne infection which can be transferred from birds to humans – while working in 2008 at the Petmania pet store at Ennis Road, Limerick.
Ms Ingle, formerly of Ballinacurra, Weston Co Limerick, but currently an inpatient at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick, has sued Petmania Ltd, Jetland Retail Park, Ennis Road; its parent company O’Keeffe’s of Kilkenny Ltd, Springhill, Kilkenny, and the Health Service Executive.
Ms Ingle claims she was an employee at the pet store from December 2007 and was given no health and safety training or warnings about the dangers of working with animals when she began working there. She also alleges her condition was not diagnosed in time at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.
Opening her action yesterday, Dermot Gleeson SC said chlamydia psittacosiswas a rare disease which could be passed from parrots or budgies to humans through inhalation of dried faeces dust from the feathers or respiratory secretions of the birds.
It is alleged Ms Ingle contracted the disease during July/August 2008 during which time, it is alleged, a cockatiel parrot was bought by the store for €20. It is alleged that class of bird was implicated in the disease.
Mr Gleeson said the store did not provide gloves or masks for staff. A health and safety manual, which the company claimed was issued to staff, was “remarkable” in making no reference at all to the risks of working with animals.
On August 12th, 2008, Ms Ingle was a healthy and active 19-year- old who had done well at school and hoped to run her own dog-grooming business at some stage, Mr Gleeson said.
On August 20th, she suffered violent headaches and vomiting. She was treated at the Mid-Western Regional and sent home to rest. There was a slight improvement but, after a very bad night on August 31st with headaches and increased vomiting, she went to her GP on September 1st and was sent to the hospital.
By September 3rd, she was technically voiceless and had suffered irreversible brain damage, blurred vision and could not move and had difficulty in swallowing.
She had remained in that condition since, she could only breathe adequately through a ventilator and was fed through a tube.
Ms Ingle’s hospital records would have shown she worked with animals because she had previously attended hospital after being bitten by a rat. He said Ms Ingle had remained in the Mid-Western for 58 hours before being transferred to Cork. At that stage, she had suffered brain damage.
The defendants have denied the claims against them. Petmania denies Ms Ingle contracted the alleged disease and also denies any condition was contracted while working at the store.
The HSE has not disputed Ms Ingle contracted the disease but denies negligence and pleads that her condition was appropriately managed while in hospital.