Psittacosis (patient information)

Psittacosis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Psittacosis?
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Prevention
Psittacosis On the Web
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Directions to Hospitals Treating Psittacosis
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D.[2] Phone:617-849-2629

Overview

Psittacosis is an infection caused by Chlamydia psittaci, a type of bacteria found in the droppings of birds. Birds spread the infection to humans.

What are the symptoms of Psittacosis?

• Blood-tinged sputum.
• Dry cough.
• Fatigue.
• Fever and chills.
• Headache.
• Joint aches.
• Muscle aches.
• Shortness of breath.

What causes Psittacosis?

Psittacosis is a rare disease: 100 - 200 cases are reported each year in the United States.

Bird owners, pet shop employees, persons who work in poultry processing plants, and veterinarians are at increased risk for this infection. Typical birds involved are parrots, parakeets, and budgerigars, although other birds have also caused the disease.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Antibiotics are needed to treat this infection. If you develop symptoms of psittacosis, call your health care provider.

Diagnosis

The health care provider will hear abnormal lung sounds such as crackles and decreased breath sounds when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.

Tests include:

• Antibody titer (rising titer over time is a sign of infection).
• Blood culture (grows chlamydia).
• Blood gases.
• CT scan of the chest.
• Sputum culture.
• X-ray of the chest.

Treatment options

The infection is treated with antibiotics. Doxycycline is the first line treatment. Other antibiotics that may be prescribed include:

• Azithromycin.
• Erythromycin.
• Moxiflacin.
• Rifampin.
• Tetracycline.

Note: Tetracycline and doxycycline by mouth is usually not prescribed for children until after all their permanent teeth have started to grow in or to pregnant women. The medicine can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.

Where to find medical care for Psittacosis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Psittacosis

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Full recovery is expected.

Possible complications

• Brain involvement.
• Decreased lung function as a result of the pneumonia.
• Heart valve infection.
• Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).

Prevention

Avoid exposure to birds that may carry this bacteria, such as imported parakeets. Medical problems that lead to a weak immune system increase your risk for this disease and should be treated appropriately.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000088.htm