Psittacosis

Last reviewed: 26 Aug 2023
Last updated: 29 Apr 2021

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • exposure to infected birds and mammals
  • illness in other family members
More key diagnostic factors

Other diagnostic factors

  • fever
  • malaise
  • headache
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • rales
  • tachypnea
  • pharyngitis
  • conjunctivitis
  • hepatomegaly
  • confusion
  • tachycardia
  • splenomegaly
Other diagnostic factors

Risk factors

  • exposure to infected birds and mammals
  • young children
  • older adults
  • immunocompromised
More risk factors

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • white blood cell count with differential
  • liver function tests
  • polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
  • chest x-ray
More 1st investigations to order

Investigations to consider

  • serology
  • culture
More investigations to consider

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

children ≥8 years of age and nonpregnant adults

children <8 years and pregnant women

Contributors

Authors

Deborah Dean, MD, MPH
Deborah Dean

Director

Children’s Global Health Initiative

Senior Scientist

Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development

Professor of Medicine

University of California at San Francisco and Berkeley

Faculty, the UC Berkeley - UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering

Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute

Oakland

CA

Disclosures

DD is an author of some references cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

Servaas Morre, PhD

Head of Laboratory of Immunogenetics

VU University Medical Center

Department of Pathology

Laboratory of Immunogenetics

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Disclosures

SM declares that he has no competing interests.

William A. Petri, Jr., MD, PhD, FACP

Chief and Professor of Medicine

Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health

University of Virginia Health System

Charlottesville

VA

Disclosures

WAP declares that he has no competing interests.

  • Psittacosis images
  • Differentials

    • Atypical pneumonia caused by other pathogens
    • Sepsis
    • Infective endocarditis
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • Compendium of measures to control Chlamydia psittaci infection among humans (psittacosis) and pet birds (avian chlamydiosis)
    • Guidelines for the management of community acquired pneumonia in adults: update 2009
    More Guidelines
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