Chlamydiosis Psittacosis

Parrots and other pet birds can carry and transmit zoonotic diseases, diseases that humans can catch from contact with animals. Chlamydiosis psittacosis, or parrot fever, affects up to 200 Americans every year, according to Dr. Klaus-Dieter Lessnau at eMedicine.com. Dr. Lessnau also notes that cases of parrot fever are probably under diagnosed. Despite the possibility of infection, chlamydiosis psittacosis responds well to treatment, and rarely requires bird owners to get rid of their pets.

  1. Causes

    • The bacterial organism chlamydia psittaci causes chlamydiosis psittacosis, according to Lessnau. Linda Pesek, a veterinarian who writes for Birdsnways.com, reports that the disease contaminates birds' fecal matter, nasal secretions, urine, saliva and feather dust. Humans who breathe in infected matter may contract the disease. While some birds show symptoms of chlamydiosis psittacosis, Dr. Pesek notes that many birds are carriers, capable of being infected with the disease without showing any symptoms.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of chlamydiosis psittacosis in birds include diarrhea, eye or nose discharge, poor appetite and a "ruffled" appearance, according to Pesek. Such symptoms are common to many bird diseases, and indicate the need for immediate veterinary care. Lessnau lists human symptoms that resemble the flu, with fever, coughing, headaches and difficulty breathing, and says the incubation period in humans averages five to 14 days. Some people contract parrot fever and have no symptoms, while other people develop serious cases of pneumonia.

    Risks

    • Pet shop employees and poultry farmers have an increased risk of chlamydiosis psittacosis, according to Lessnau, who also reports that human-to-human transmission of parrot fever is possible. Human-to-human transmission is uncommon, but causes more serious symptoms when it occurs. Pesek cautions that people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and young children have high risks of infection by zoonotic diseases, including parrot fever. People with weakened immune systems include people suffering from AIDS, cancer patients and anyone taking immunosuppressive medication.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnosis of parrot fever can be difficult, as many doctors do not think to check such an uncommon disease when presented with what seems to be the flu. The Michigan Department of Agriculture issued a brochure on chlamydiosis psittacosis advising bird owners to inform their doctors that they own birds when reporting flu-like symptoms. Blood testing is necessary to diagnose parrot fever. The Michigan Department of Agriculture notes that blood tests take several days to complete.

    Treatment

    • Doctors prescribe tetracycline and doxycycline antibiotics to people infected with parrot fever, according to the New York State Department of Health. Antibiotic treatment for chlamydiosis psittacosis lasts for three weeks, and the disease generally responds well once treatment starts. Pet birds infected with parrot fever receive the same antibiotics, but are treated for 45 days, reports Pesek. During this time the bird must be isolated from all other birds and receive minimal human contact to reduce the risk of infection.

    Prevention/Solution

    • An infection of chlamydiosis psittacosis does not provide immunity from future infections to either people or birds. To lower the risk of parrot fever infection, the Michigan Department of Agriculture recommends never purchasing a bird that seems ill. Quarantine all new birds for 45 days if you have a multi-bird household, and have an avian veterinarian test the new bird for chlamydiosis psittacosis (some birds are carriers and show no symptoms). All cages, food bowls and toys should be cleaned and disinfected regularly.