Symptoms and Treatment of Psittacosis
Psittacosis requires prompt treatment with tetracycline antibiotics, specifically doxycycline, which is the drug of choice for human infection. The disease is caused by Chlamydia psittaci bacteria transmitted from infected birds, particularly parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, and other psittacine birds 1, 2.
Clinical Presentation
Symptoms in Humans
- Flu-like symptoms including high fever (94.1% of cases) and cough (94.4% of cases) 3
- Headache, body aches, and either dry or productive cough 4
- Variable symptoms may include sore throat, chest pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea 4
- Pulse-temperature dissociation (relatively slow pulse despite high fever) 4
- Pneumonia with ground-glass-like shadows on chest X-ray (70.6% of cases), most commonly affecting the right inferior lobe (45.2%) 3
Physical Findings
- Localized lung crackles on auscultation 4
- Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly may be present 4
- Pale macular skin rash in some cases 4
- In severe cases, signs of liver dysfunction, neurological impairment, and respiratory and renal failure 4
Laboratory Findings
- White blood cell count is typically normal (leukocytosis present in only a minority of patients) 3
- Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein 3
- Approximately 50% of patients show elevated liver enzymes (SGOT and SGPT) 3
Treatment Protocol
Antibiotic Therapy for Humans
- Doxycycline is the drug of choice for treating human psittacosis 1
- Early and specific treatment should be initiated as soon as psittacosis is suspected, even before laboratory confirmation 1
- Treatment should continue for the full prescribed period to avoid relapse 1
Management of Infected Birds
- All birds with confirmed or probable avian chlamydiosis should be isolated and treated under veterinary supervision 1
- Treatment options for birds include:
- Medicated feed containing chlortetracycline (CTC) for 45 days 1
- Doxycycline administration (oral or injectable) 1
- Oral doxycycline dosage: 25-50 mg/kg body weight once daily, with specific dosages varying by bird species 1
- Injectable doxycycline: 75-100 mg/kg body weight IM every 5-7 days for the first 4 weeks, then every 5 days for the remainder of treatment 1
- Injectable oxytetracycline: 75 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously every 3 days for certain species 1
Prevention and Control Measures
Personal Protection
- Persons exposed to infected birds should wear protective clothing, gloves, a paper surgical cap, and a respirator with N95 rating or higher 1
- Standard surgical masks are not effective in preventing transmission 1
- When performing necropsies on potentially infected birds, additional precautions include:
Environmental Control
- Isolate infected birds and thoroughly clean and disinfect cages and environments 1
- Use appropriate disinfectants effective against C. psittaci:
- Avoid creating aerosols when cleaning cages; vacuum cleaners should not be used 1
- Dispose of waste materials by burning or double-bagging 1
Bird Management
- Quarantine newly acquired birds for 30-45 days 1
- Do not purchase or sell birds showing signs of illness 1
- Maintain accurate records of all bird transactions to aid in tracing sources of infection 1
- Position cages to prevent transfer of fecal matter between birds 1
- Clean cages daily and thoroughly disinfect between different bird occupancies 1
Reporting Requirements
- Physicians should report cases of psittacosis to appropriate state or local health authorities 1
- Timely diagnosis and reporting helps identify infection sources and control disease spread 1
- Veterinarians should submit appropriate laboratory specimens to confirm diagnosis in suspected birds 1
Human psittacosis can be a serious respiratory illness, but with proper antibiotic treatment, most patients recover completely 3. Early recognition of symptoms, particularly in individuals with bird exposure history, is crucial for prompt treatment and prevention of complications.