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Alternative names Return to top
Ornithosis; Chlamydia psittaciDefinition Return to top
Psittacosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci, which is spread to humans by birds, causing systemic (throughout the body) symptoms and pneumonia.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Psittacosis is caused by Chlamydia psittaci, a bacterium found in the droppings of birds. It is a rare disease-- fewer than 50 cases have been reported in the U.S. in the past 5 years.
Bird owners, pet shop employees, workers in poultry processing plants, and veterinarians are at increased risk for acquiring this infection.
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
Abnormal lung sounds such as rales and decreased breath sounds are heard when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.Treatment Return to top
The infection is treated with antibiotics, including:Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Full recovery is expected.Complications Return to top
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Antibiotics are needed to treat this infection. If you develop symptoms suggestive of psittacosis, call your health care provider.Prevention Return to top
Avoid exposure to suspect birds (often imported parakeets and similar birds carry this bacterium). Treat underlying medical problems that cause immune dysfunction and increase susceptibility to this disease. Update Date: 6/20/2004 Updated by: Jacqueline A. Hart, M.D., Senior Medical Editor, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Christopher Parsons, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (7/31/2002).
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |