subject: Psittacosis clinical features and management [print this page] Psittacosis clinical features and management
Although ornithosis is a commonly used name for infectionwith this organism, this is a misnomer because a wide rangeof animals other than birds are infected by Chi. psittaci.
Epidemiology Psittacosis occurs sporadically worldwide, but it is mostcommon in people closely associated with birds. Infectedbirds are usually ill, but continue to shed organisms in excreta and feathers for months after recovery. Humansare infected by inhalation.
Clinical features After an incubation period of about 2 weeks there is fever,malaise, headaches, myalgia and sometimes arthralgia. Drycough and variable dyspnoea occur, with confusion andclouding of consciousness if severe hypoxia develops.There are few abnormal signs in the chest, although theremay be fine crackles in the lower zones. The chest radiographshows unilateral or bilateral patchy infiltrates,especially in the lower zones, but occasionally there is theappearance of lobar consolidation. Gastrointestinal symptomsoccur uncommonly. Rarely the disease is complicatedby aortic or mitral valve endocarditis. Abortion in pregnantwomen may occur.After an incubation period of about 2 weeks there is fever,malaise, headaches, myalgia and sometimes arthralgia. Drycough and variable dyspnoea occur, with confusion andclouding of consciousness if severe hypoxia develops.
Diagnosis and management Diagnosis is suspected from the history and evidence foratypical pneumonia, and confirmed by testing for serumantibodies by immunofluorescent or complement fixationtests. Tetracyclines given for at least 10 days are the mosteffective treatment.
Psittacosis occurs sporadically worldwide, but it is mostcommon in people closely associated with birds. Infectedbirds are usually ill, but continue to shed organisms inexcreta and feathers for months after recovery. Humansare infected by inhalation.
