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$Unique_ID{BRK04150}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Psittacosis}
$Subject{Psittacosis Ornithosis Parrot Fever Legionnaire's Disease Pneumonia Q
Fever Brucellosis Hepatitis Meningitis Mononucleosis}
$Volume{}
$Log{}
Copyright (C) 1991 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
836:
Psittacosis
** IMPORTANT **
It is possible that the main title of the article (Psittacosis) is not
the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYM listing to find the
alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.
Synonyms
Ornithosis
Parrot Fever
Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:
Legionnaire's Disease
Pneumonia
Q Fever
Brucellosis
Hepatitis
Meningitis
Mononucleosis
General Discussion
** REMINDER **
The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
section of this report.
Psittacosis is a common infectious disorder found in birds, some poultry
and mammals including man. However, it rarely occurs in humans but when it
does it can spread and become epidemic. In humans it can have very serious
and complicated effects. The most prominent symptom is usually pneumonia
with associated breathing problems. Other major symptoms may include chills,
fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain in the neck and back.
These symptoms can mimic many other diseases. A definite diagnosis is
necessary for appropriate treatment to begin.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Psittacosis are usually those of pneumonia, shortness of breath,
tiredness and pain when breathing. However, the illness can have symptoms
that are indicative of other diseases making it difficult to diagnose. For
example, the symptoms may mimic influenza or mononucleosis, or the symptoms
may be more severe indicating serious lung problems. The patient may cough
and spit up bloody mucus, have difficulty breathing or experience pain when
breathing. There may be severe headache or vomiting, loss of interest in
eating, severe muscle pain, chills and fever. In some serious cases there
may be heart involvement with irregular or uncomfortable heart beat and
inflammation of the sack surrounding the heart (pericarditis). An enlarged
spleen or liver may also occur. Diagnosis is made by a rise in antibodies in
serum and by x-rays that show a ground-glass like shadow most often in the
right inferior lobe of the lung.
Disorder Subdivision:
The bacterium, Chlamydia psittaci, that causes Psittacosis in birds and
fowls also causes abortions in cows and sheep. This bacterium is known to
affect birds and mammals, including man, causing serious illness and abortion
in pregnant cows and ewes.
Causes
Psittacosis is caused in humans by exposure to the bacterium Chlamydia
psittaci which is transmitted from infected birds and poultry. Most
instances of infection occur from handling infected birds themselves or by
working in areas where birds are kept or butchered. Poultry and pet store
workers are at a very high risk as are breeders of parrots, parakeets, love-
birds etc. Poultry workers handling the insides (viscera) of butchered
turkeys also run a high risk of contracting the disease from blood and
tissue. Another source of infection is the dried feces of birds and poultry
and the dust from feathers and cages. Protective gloves and masks can often
prevent transmission of the disease to these workers.
The birds themselves often do not appear to be ill even though the
disease is often fatal. Pet owners need to be made aware that even though
birds are asymptomatic they can still carry the disease and spread the
bacterium for months. Not only pet birds but domestic fowls, feral birds,
city pigeons and sparrows are known carriers of Psittacosis.
Affected Population
Psittacosis affects males and females in equal numbers. Bird breeders, pet
store workers, pigeon keepers and poultry workers are the most frequently
infected. However, anyone who owns a pet bird should be aware of the
possibility that the bird may carry the bacterium. Since the disease can
become epidemic in animals as well as in humans, discovery of a single case
of the disease should be reported to local public health authorities.
Related Disorders
Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Psittacosis.
Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis:
Legionnaire's Disease resembles pneumonia including a shaking chill,
sharp pain in the involved side of the chest, cough with sputum or phlegm
production, fever of up to 105 degrees F, and in some cases, rapid and
painful respiration. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, neurological signs such as
headache, confusion, lethargy or agitation may also be present. (For more
information on this disorder, choose "Legionnaire" as your search term in the
Rare Disease Database).
Pneumonia may vary from mild to severe according to the extent of lung
involvement, whether caused by bacteria or virus, accumulation of tissue and
cells not normally found in the lungs, the rate of progress, and the presence
of complications. The patient sometimes has no fever. In others the onset
may be rapid with fever, suggesting an acute respiratory infection. Symptoms
such as shortness of breath on exertion, cough, lack of oxygen, loss of
appetite, weight loss, weakness and chest pains may be present. (For more
information on this disorder, choose "Pneumonia" as your search term in the
Rare Disease Database).
Q Fever is a disorder transmitted from sheep to man. Patients may
experience headache, fever, chills, sweats, coughing, and inflammation of the
lungs. They may also experience excess tiredness, muscle pain, chest pain,
sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Prolonged Q Fever may result in
inflammation and enlargement of the liver with upper right abdominal pain,
fever, fatigue, and yellowing of the skin (jaundice). Inflammation of the
lining of the heart may also occur. (For more information on this disorder,
choose "Q Fever" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database).
Brucellosis is an infectious disease characterized by sudden and acute,
weakness, profuse sweating and vague aches and pains. Chills and fever,
severe headache, pains, malaise, and occasionally diarrhea may also occur.
The disorder occurs worldwide, most often as a result of drinking
unpasteurized milk. (For more information on this disorder, choose
"Brucellosis" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database).
Hepatitis B virus usually has a one to six week incubation period during
which a certain antigen circulates in the blood before symptoms of the
illness develop. Hepatitis B, which is usually transmitted from mother to
child or through bodily fluids, may initially appear as influenza symptoms,
fever, headache, eye-ear-nose-throat involvement, chills, tiredness, itchy
rash, etc., followed by nausea, vomiting and yellow discoloration of the
skin. (For more information on this disorder choose "Hepatitis" as your
search term in the Rare Disease Database.)
Meningitis in adults and children is often preceded by respiratory
illness or a sore throat. In its acute form, the disorder is characterized
by fever, headache, a stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sometimes with aching
muscles. (For more information on this disorder choose "Meningitis" as your
search term in the Rare Disease Database.)
Mononucleosis is thought to occur after exposure to the Epstein-Barr
virus. The disorder occurs after a patient feels unwell for a few days.
They will have a severe headache, swollen glands in the armpits, groin and
neck, fever and a sore throat, puffy eyes, swollen tonsils, a skin rash and
loss of appetite. The spleen and liver may also become enlarged and the
patient may notice a yellowish discoloration to their skin (jaundice).
Therapies: Standard
Treatment of Psittacosis in humans usually consists of antibiotic drug
therapy. The drug tetracycline is the most commonly used antibiotic but
others have been found to be helpful also. Among those are minocycline,
floxacin, and erythromycin.
Treatment of Psittacosis in birds includes injecting oxytetracycline into
the muscle followed by injections just under the skin of the bird with the
same drug every 2-3 days. Alternatively daily feedings of food treated with
antibiotics may cure the disease. Larger birds such as Macaws may be treated
with the drug chlortetracycline added to their food.
Therapies: Investigational
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
February 1991. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to
keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and
accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for
the most current information about this disorder.
Resources
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
P.O. Box 8923
New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
(203) 746-6518
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892
(301) 496-5717
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
1600 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
404-329-3534
References
CECIL TEXTBOOK OF MEDICINE, 18th Ed.: James B. Wyngaarden, and Lloyd H.
Smith, Jr., Editors; W.B. Saunders Co., 1988. Pp. 1564, 1735-1737.
GENETIC, IMMUNOLOGIC, AND PATHOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF AVIAN CHLAMYDIAL
STRAINS, A.A. Anderson, et al.; J Am Vet Med Assoc, (December 1989, issue 1;
195 (11)). Pp. 1512-1516.
AN OUTBREAK OF PSITTACOSIS IN MINNESOTA TURKEY INDUSTRY WORKERS:
IMPLICATIONS FOR MODES OF TRANSMISSION AND CONTROL; K. Hedberg, et al.; Am J
Epidemiol (September, 1989, issue 130 (30)). Pp. 569-577.
PSITTACOSIS PNEUMONIA, R. Stubbs, et al.; J Tenn Med Assoc. (April, 1989,
issue 82 (4)). Pp. 189-190.
POTENTIAL USE OF LONG-ACTING INJECTABLE OXYTETRACYCLINE FOR TREATMENT OF
CHLAMYDIOSIS IN GOFFIN'S COCKATOOS., K. Flammer. et al,; Avian Dis (January-
March, 1990, issue 34 (1)). Pp. 228-234.