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PubMed2002

Familial cases of psittacosis: possible person-to-person transmission.

A 29-year-old woman with primary myelofibrosis developed severe pneumonia, and 20 days later her 31-year-old sister also contracted pneumonia. The first patient had been in contact with parakeets but the second patient had not been in contact with any birds. Psittacosis was diagnosed in both cases by microplate immunofluorescence antibody technique. Person-to-person transmission between the sisters was suspected to have taken place.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Compendium of measures to control Chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci) infection among humans (psittacosis) and pet birds, 2005.

Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever and ornithosis, is a bacterial infection of humans that can cause severe pneumonia and other serious health problems. It is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci, formerly known as Chlamydia psittaci. From 1988 through 2003, 935 human cases of psittacosis were reported to the CDC and most resulted from exposure to infected pet birds, usually cockatiels, parakeets, parrots, and macaws. In birds, C. psittaci infection is referred to as avian chlamydiosis. Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharges, and humans become infected from exposure to these materials. This compendium provides information about psittacosis and avian chlamydiosis to public health officials, physicians, veterinarians, the pet bird industry, and others concerned with controlling these diseases and protecting public health. The recommendations in this compendium provide standardized procedures for controlling avian chlamydiosis in birds, a vital step to protecting human health. This document will be reviewed and revised as necessary.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

A psittacosis outbreak in Belgian customs officers.

In March 1994, health authorities in Antwerp, Belgium, were informed that a member of a team of 15 customs officers had developed psittacosis. The customs officer concerned had been admitted to hospital with pneumonia 10 days after exposure to parakeets t

Journal Article↗
PubMed1975

An outbreak of ornithosis.

An outbreak of ornithosis occurred in Lidköping, a small town in Southwest Sweden, in January 1967 through May 1969. 24 proved cases were known, aged from 10 to 72 years, 19 patients gave a history of contact with birds (parrots, canaries, parakeets), 13 of them with birds from the same pet shop. Five patients had visited the pet shop only once before their illness. Attempts to prove infection with ornithosis agent in 7 birds from the pet shop were unsuccessful. Three patients, 2 of them in the same household, had no contact with birds and infection from person to person was strongly suspected. All patients had pneumonia. Fever, cough and headache were predominant clinical symptoms. There were relapses in 4 patients and 2 patients had symptoms of encephalitis. No deaths occurred.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Production of a rabbit anti-cockatiel immunoglobulin G and characterization of its cross-reactivities with immunoglobulin G of other psittacine species.

The purpose of this work was to produce rabbit anti-cockatiel immunoglobulin G (IgG) and compare its cross-reactivity with sera from eight other psittacine birds: Quaker parakeet, budgerigar, green-wing macaw, blue-fronted Amazon parrot, eclectus parrot, African grey parrot, Patagonian conure, Moluccan cockatoo. Cockatiel IgG did not bind to protein A or G; therefore, these proteins could not be used in column chromatography to isolate the IgG. A combination of serum IgG precipitation by ammonium sulfate and yolk IgG extraction from egg was loaded in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel upon which the IgG was resolved by electrophoresis. The resolved IgG in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel was stained with Coomassie blue, cut, crushed in phosphate-buffered saline, and injected into rabbits. The rabbit anti-cockatiel IgG produced in this way reacted with a single protein in gel immunodiffusion assay with all nine psittacine bird sera but not with those of chicken and ostrich. Immunoelectrophoresis confirmed the cross-reactivity of different psittacine sera with the anti-cockatiel IgG serum but not with ostrich and chicken sera. This antiserum detected antibody responses in sera from cockatiels vaccinated against chlamydial major outer membrane protein in an immunoblot assay.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Outbreak of acute histoplasmosis in Chilean travelers to the ecuadorian jungle: an example of geographic medicine].

Eight Chilean teenagers traveled to Ecuador in January 1999, where they were bitten by mosquitoes, had contact with parakeets and lodged in poorly hygienic places; 6/8 visited for 5-10 minutes the interior of a bat cave. About a week later these 6 began with headache, myalgia and fever that lasted 2-3 weeks. 5/6 had dry cough with no respiratory distress. The index case was seen in the 2nd week of symptoms. A chest x-ray showed multiple nodular infiltrates as in the other five. Two had histoplasma serology, one was negative and the other positive at a low titer; histoplasmin skin test showed induration of 17-27 mm in all six. An acute histoplasmosis with massive exposure was diagnosed and treated with itraconazole for 3 weeks. All became asymptomatic and chest x-rays returned to normal. Histoplasmosis (non existent endogenously in Chile) is, among other geographic and tropical diseases, a risk for Chilean travelers. Awareness of this in the general population and development of expertise in these diseases by local health care providers is required.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Compendium of measures to control Chlamydia psittaci infection among humans (psittacosis) and pet birds (avian chlamydiosis), 2000. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Psittacosis--also known as parrot fever and ornithosis--is spread by a bacterial infection of birds that can cause severe pneumonia and other serious health problems among humans. From 1988 through 1998, 813 cases of psittacosis (infection with Chlamydia psittaci) were reported to CDC, and most resulted from exposure to infected pet birds, usually cockatiels, parakeets, parrots, and macaws. In birds, C. psittaci infection is referred to as avian chlamydiosis (AC). Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharges, and humans become infected from exposure to these materials. This compendium provides information about psittacosis and AC to public health officials, physicians, veterinarians, the pet bird industry, and others concerned about controlling these diseases and protecting public health. The recommendations in this compendium provide standardized procedures for controlling AC in birds, a vital step to protecting human health.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Two cases of Chlamydia psittaci infection occurring in employees of the same pet shop].

We report here 2 cases of psittacosis in a pet shop. In the first case, a 44-year-old male was admitted with fever, and a chest radiograph showed an infiltration shadow in the right lower lung. One day later, a colleague of the first patient, a 42-year-old man, developed fever and was admitted. In this patient, chest radiography revealed an infiltration shadow in the left lower lung. Both patients had mild liver dysfunction. The serum titer of a complement fixation (CF) test against Chlamydia psittaci was elevated fourfold in the first case and sixteen-fold in the second on the analysis of paired acute- and convalescent-phase serum specimens. Clinical symptoms and abnormal laboratory data were attenuated by the administration of minocycline for 2 weeks. Since both patients worked in same pet shop and since some parakeets at the shop had died, we speculated that the psittacosis had originated from these birds.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Catarrhal proventriculitis associated with a filamentous organism in pet birds.

Catarrhal proventriculitis due to infection by an unidentified organism was diagnosed in 79 of 534 pet birds examined histologically. It was more prevalent in domestic birds (70 cases) than in imported ones (9 cases). A high incidence of the disease was encountered in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) and it was occasionally found in finches (Poephila gouldiae gouldiae), parakeets (Psittacula Krameri manillensis), Amazona parrots (Amazona aestiva aestiva) and cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). The agent was a large filamentous rod, and was stained positively with Gram, GMS and PAS methods. Histologically, it induced a mild to moderate exudative or proliferative inflammation in the proventriculus. All the cases had an erosion in the gizzard. Ultrastructurally, the organism had a eukaryotic nucleus and three cell-wall layers. Concurrent infections were very common, including adenoviruses (37 cases), giardiasis (31 cases), candidiasis (13 cases), papovaviruses (11 cases) and knemidocoptic mites (11 cases).

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Histopathological survey of protozoa, helminths and acarids of imported and local psittacine and passerine birds in Japan.

A total of 534 psittacine and passerine birds consisting of 241 imported and 293 local birds were examined histologically. As a result, the following parasites were found: Giardia (86 cases), Knemido-coptes (26 cases), coccidia (10 cases), Ascaridia (6 cases), Cryptosporidium (5 cases), Sarcocystis (5 cases), tapeworm (4 cases), microfilaria (2 cases), Hexamita (1 case), and Spiroptera (1 case). High incidences of giardiasis and knemido-coptic infestation were detected in the local birds, but rarely in the imported birds. Giardial trophozoites were observed mainly in the duodenum of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Knemidocoptic mites burrowed into the epidermis producing proliferative dermatitis in 25 budgerigars and 1 African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus). This ectoparasite often infested the skin around the cloaca. Coccidiosis was seen only in the small intestines of the finch (Poephila gouldiae gouldiae), African Grey Parrot, Rainbow lory (Trichoglossus haematodus), Indian Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri manillensis) and peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis). Two parrots (Amazona aestiva aestiva and Psittacus erithacus erithacus) and two budgerigars had intestinal cryptosporidiosis. Conjunctivitis associated with cryptosporidial infection was seen in a lovebird. Sarcocystis cysts containing crescent-shaped bradyzoites were found not only in the thigh and breast but also in the heart and cloacal muscles. Other organisms such as Ascaridia, tapeworm, microfilaria, Hexamita, and Spiroptera were clinically less significant. However, infections such as Giardia and Cryptosporidim might have zoonotic implications.

Animals↗
PubMed1959

Some general remarks and new observations on psittacosis and ornithosis.

Complement-fixation tests of sera from patients with mild or obscure respiratory infections have shown that psittacosis is more prevalent in man than the occasional dramatic outbreaks had hitherto led one to suppose. In this paper, the author discusses the epidemiology of the disease in humans with special reference to the various sources of infection, which are now known to include a number of non-psittacine birds-particularly, turkeys, ducks and pigeons.After reviewing the distribution of human infection, describing the methods of diagnosing the infection in man and birds, and outlining briefly the mechanism of immunity, the author proceeds to the question of therapy with tetracycline compounds, which have proved effective for the treatment of human psittacosis provided that they are administered soon enough and over a sufficiently long period. He then deals with the public health aspects of the disease and with the problem of control, pointing out the many difficulties involved. Addition of tetracycline compounds to the feed has been successful in eradicating the infection from a few parakeet-breeding aviaries, but the results with parrots, pigeons and turkeys have been less promising; it is hoped, nevertheless, that a suitable chemotherapeutic method can be developed.Finally, the author reviews briefly the known instances of infection of mammals other than man with viruses of the psittacosis group.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[A case of psittacosis showing a localized peripheral air-space consolidation].

A 29-year-old man was admitted with fever and anorexia. Radiographic examinations of the chest showed a localized peripheral non-segmental air-space consolidation in the right lower lobe. He had a history of exposure to parakeets, and psittacosis was diagnosed based on the elevated serum complement fixation titer against Chlamydia psittaci. The common radiographic finding of psittacosis is ground-glass attenuation radiating from the hilar areas. We report a rare case of psittacosis presenting a localized consolidation, clearly limited to the subpleural region of the lung.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Cloacal papillomas in psittacines.

Papilloma-like masses affecting the cloaca of 19 Amazons, 16 macaws, 3 parrots, 1 conure, and 1 parakeet were examined. Papillomatous lesions were characterized by proliferation of the lining epithelium on thin fibrovascular stalks. Carcinoma in situ was diagnosed in the cloaca of a macaw in addition to the other 16 macaws with papillomas. Papillomavirus group-specific antigens were not detected in any of the 41 lesions, using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. The DNA extracts from 6 different frozen papillomas did not contain papillomavirus genomes detectable by Southern blot hybridization, using an African gray parrot cutaneous papillomavirus as a probe. Evidence of an infective agent was not found by electron microscopic examination of 8 of the papillomas. Inoculations of partially purified homogenates of a cloacal papilloma from a yellow-crowned Amazon did not induce lesion formation on cloacal mucosa of an adult yellow-crowned Amazon, green and yellow macaw, sulphur-crested cockatoo, or mollucan cockatoo.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

High-resolution electron microscopic evidence for the filamentous structure of the cyst wall in Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis.

High-resolution morphological studies of the cyst wall of Giardia spp. were performed using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cyst wall was composed of membranous and filamentous layers. The membranous layer consisted of an inner and an outer cyst membrane separated by a thin layer of cytoplasm. The filamentous layer contained individual filaments that ranged from 7 to 20 nm in diameter when measured by LVSEM, formed a dense meshwork with branches or interconnections, and were occasionally arranged on the surface in whorled patterns. Cysts of Giardia muris from mice, Giardia duodenalis from dogs, pigs, voles, beavers, muskrats, and humans, and Giardia psittaci from a bird (parakeet), possessed an essentially identical wall composed of filaments. Inducement of excystation in viable Giardia cysts produced a dramatic increase in the interfilament spacing over an entire cyst, but none was observed in heat-killed or chemically fixed control cysts. These results demonstrated that the cyst wall of Giardia spp. was composed of a complex arrangement of filaments, presumably formed during the process of encystment.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Hygienic problems of keeping pets in the Federal Republic of Germany].

Pet animals i.e. vertebrates from fish to mammals are often suspected to transmit germs of various systematic position (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites) to human beings. A critical analysis shows that only a very limited number of such organisms can be transmitted from animals to man. Zooanthroponoses with pet animal origin is a very rare phenomenon. Bacteria like salmonellae which were incriminated to be the cause of about 250,000 infections of man per year, particularly of children, in the USA in the early 70th have really no importance in the Federal Republic of Germany. The statistical dates published every year by the "Statistisches Bundesamt" show clearly that only about 1 case in a year can be traced backwards to reptiles in spite of about 50,000 registered cases of human salmonellosis per year. If we compare the number of about 1 million of reptiles in captivity the incidence is very low. Similar relations exist for other germs, too. As an example the choriomeningitis of golden hamsters is often mentioned. In newspapers and other popular publications this infection is said to be extremely dangerous for children but in reality only a few cases were registered years ago. Nowadays precautions in the breeding farms etc. make it very unlikely that such virus transmissions have any practical importance. This situation is comparable with mycosis caused by fungi like Trichophyton which have their origin in certain mammals. Also psittacosis--in form r times not infrequently the cause of sickness and death in man--nowadays is only found sporadically in man, in spite of about the same number of cases in parakeets and other birds. The terrible risk of the disease can be prevented since tetracycline therapy is a successful treatment. It can be stated that zooanthroponoses which have their origin in pet animals is a very rare manifestation, but often misinterpretations are given either ignoring the knowledge of a certain infection or fishing for publicity! One of such examples is toxoplasmosis. About 15 years after the discovery of the life cycle of the protozoon Toxoplasma gondii and the experimentally proven fact that oocysts can be produced only in cats, and therefore transmission to humans is only possible with these stages other animals like rabbits or guinea pigs are still incriminated as the cause of human infections. Apart from the discussed problems and the possibility of transmission of infectious agents from animals to man we must also take into consideration the positive psychological aspects of animal keeping for the hobbyist, and particularly for children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amphibians↗
PubMed1987

Effects of noise on pure-tone thresholds in blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus and Molothrus ater) and pigeons (Columba livia).

Blackbirds and pigeons were trained to detect tones in quiet and in broadband noise by using positive-reinforcement techniques. In Experiment 1, thresholds in noise were obtained in blackbirds as a function of both tone frequency and noise intensity for a pulsed noise masker (noise gated on and off with tone). For blackbirds, critical ratios (the ratio of the power of the just-detectable tone in noise to the power of the noise masker) obtained in pulsed noise showed no consistent relation to tone frequency. For pigeons, on the other hand, critical ratios obtained in continuous noise increased by about 3 dB/octave across their range of hearing, being similar to known critical ratio functions for cats and humans. In Experiment 2, critical ratios in blackbirds obtained with both continuous noise and pulsed noise were compared. Blackbird critical ratios were more stable in continuous noise and averaged 4 dB lower than critical ratios in pulsed noise. The blackbird critical ratio function obtained with continuous noise was similar to the known critical ratio function of another avian species, the parakeet. Thus, small birds appear to have atypical critical ratio functions, compared with pigeons and other vertebrates.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Enigmatic psittacine chlamydiosis: results of serotesting and isolation attempts, 1978 through 1983, and considerations for the future.

From 1978 through 1983, chlamydiosis was diagnosed by isolation of Chlamydia psittaci from various types of psittacine birds. The organism was isolated from 126 (30.4%) of 414 tissue specimens, with the percentages ranging from 12.5% (budgerigars) to 42.8% (cockatiels), excluding 2 parakeets with 1 isolation (50%). From 1,035 cloacal swab/feces specimens, 51 (4.9%) isolations were made, ranging from 1.4% from African grays (1 of 70) to 27.8% from lovebirds (5 of 18). Positive direct microscopic examination of stained (Gimenez method) tissue impressions correlated with positive isolation at a rate of 79.2% and those found negative by direct examination had a correlation of 87.5%. Direct complement-fixation testing was done on 3,485 sera. Forty-six were unsatisfactory for testing due to their being anticomplementary or reacting with control antigen. The distribution of titers ranged from 2,008 (57.6%) at 8 to 76 (2.2%) at greater than or equal to 256. In serotests and isolation attempts from the same bird, there was 42.8% agreement between titers greater than or equal to 32 and positive isolation. One cockatiel with a complement-fixation titer of 16 yielded a positive isolation, whereas other types of birds with a less than or equal to 16 titer were negative.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serological and virological investigations fo orthomyxovirus in birds in South-East Asian area.

We have previously reported that some species of migrating ducks (pintail, mallard, widgeon and falcated teal) possess in their sera antibodies against H antigens of human or avian influenza viruses. Such findings have also been reported from other workers, and the appearance of new types of influenza viruses accompanied by outbreaks of new influenza pandemics, or circulation of influenza virus antigens in animals, birds and humans have been discussed on the basis of such findings. Recently a number of orthomyxoviruses have been isolated from wild birds such as myna, banded parakeets, etc. imported from India and some areas of South-East Asia. Some of them have H antigens not recognized previously, and some are found to have more or less common reactions with human H3 antigen, and consequently antigens Hav 7 and Heq 2, which are known to show cross-reaction with H3. The significance of such a fact in connection with the appearance of a new influenza pandemic is discussed.

Animals↗