Psittacosis

Background

• Lower respiratory zoonotic infection
• Caused by C. psittaci, an organism common to most birds
• Contracted by inhaling dust from dried bird feces, feather dust, or avian respiratory droplets

Clinical Features

• Incubation period of 5-14 days
• Abrupt onset fever, chills, headache, myalgias, malaise
• Pneumonia is atypical - nonproductive cough, lobar or interstitial infiltrates on CXR.
• Extrapulmonary manifestations - heart, CNS, liver, spleen, kidneys

Differential Diagnosis

Other lower respiratory zoonotic infections

• Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
• Brucellosis (Brucella species)
• Q fever (C. burnetti)
• Pasteurellosis (Pasteurella multocida)
• Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei)
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (R. rickettsii)
• Pulmonic Plague (Yersinia pestis)
• Influenza A
• Hantavirus

Treatment

• Macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, or erythromycin) for 7-14 days

or

• Tetracyclines (doxycycline 100 mg PO BID) for 7-14 days

See Also

• Chlamydophila psittaci

Source

Tintinalli