by Gary Allen

Created on: March 29, 2009

Psittacosis, a common name is parrot fever.

What is psittacosis?
Psittacosis is caused by an organism call chlamydia psittaci. If a bird is infected, the infection is called avian chlamydiosis. Infections in humans are called psittacosis. Psittacosis is known as a zoonotic disease, because of its ability to transfer from animals to humans.

Symptoms of psittacosis in humans:

Symptoms are similar to the flu. Muscle aches, tired and chills. In advanced infections, there can be pneumonia.

Symptoms of psittacosis in birds:
Depression, (Polly want a Prozac?) Discharge from eyes and lack of appetite.

Diagnosis in humans:
Diagnosis is confirmed with a blood test.

Diagnosis in birds:
Pathology test for psittacosis.

Prevention:
Before purchasing a bird, ask the seller for proof that she screens for the infection. A newly purchased bird should be taken to the veterinarian for an examination. He will screen the bird for chlamydia. As an added precaution the bird should be isolated from any other birds for six weeks.

Persons at risk:
Pet store employees and bird owners have the highest risk of contracting psittacosis. Since this disease is bacterial, it can lead to pneumonia in humans, Individuals with cancer or HIV positives are a high risk population if infected with psittacosis. Also, since the symptoms of parrot fever are flu-like, inform your doctor if you are around birds. Be sure to schedule an appointment with a doctor if you have a long-lasting flu.

How parrot fever is spread:
The psittaci bacteria can live outside of a host. It does not need a host body in order to survive. It can remain dormant in bird droppings or as feather dust. The organism can be inhaled or even transmitted from beak to mouth. The virus is rarely spread by humans.

Treatment:
Humans infected with parrot fever can be treated with tetracycline. Infected birds can also be treated with tetracycline. According to Dr. Linda Pesek, other drugs are available to treat birds. Chlortettracycline medicated food can be used on smaller birds. Doycycline is a semisynthetic tetracycline that Dr. Pesek says is a medicine superior to tetracycline.

Precautions during treatment:
If there is more than one bird in the house, it is reasonable to assume that all the birds are infected. Take proper precautions around birds. Wear a surgical mask and gloves when cleaning the bird cages. Dispose of droppings and disposable wear in an airtight bag or container. It's possible to catch the virus from handling dead birds. Clean cages before the droppings dry and turn to dust.

Immunity or vaccine:

There is no vaccine to pevent psittacosis. There is no immunity build up from having had the illness. It can be recontracted.

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