Psittacosis, What Bird Owners Should Know

[Jasmine333]

https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/psittacosis-bird-owners-need-know/

The CDC says Psittacosis is rare in the US, and it states all bird owners should know about it. It can be spread from bird to bird, bird to human or human to bird. I assume it could be spread to other animals as well.

 

[Laurasea]

I have an avain vet freind who says it's pretty common . But not in people or transfered to people.

This is a nice article
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/avian-chlamydiosis.aspx

Chlamydophilosis, also called "psittacosis", "chlamydiosis" or "Parrot Fever", is a reasonably common disease of birds. It can occur in any bird but is especially common in cockatiels, Amazon parrots and budgerigars (often referred to incorrectly as parakeets.) The disease can cause chronic infections, asymptomatic infections or sudden death. The disease can also be transmitted to people. It is not associated with the venereal form of Chlamydophila that affects people.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chlamydophilosis-in-birds

 

[Noahs_Birds]

It's bad stuff, so easy to contract by just inhaling the pathogens in the air
Vetafarm now has a product called Pssitavet, which has Doxycycline in it which is the good stuff
I am always scared of buying parrots now, but the breeders I always buy off are the best people you can buy birds off and thats the way all people should be, honest and caring for their buyers
Cheers
Noah Till

 

[Betrisher]

I have an acquaintance who contracted psittacosis from his budgies when in his thirties. His symptoms were like 'flu, but then developed into pneumonia after some weeks. The scarring left by the disease was so severe, he was left with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). He's in his seventies now and is permanently attached to bottled oxygen. He was told by his doctor that his habit of kissing his budgies probably inreased his chance of contracting psittacosis. This is why I have *never* kissed my parrots!

I've never been a believer in over-reacting to disease prevalence, but it's easy enough to take sensible precautions.

 

[Jasmine333]

I knew there was an illness but didn't know what it was called. Psittacosis was probably one of the ones, if not the one they were talking about. Pretty scary stuff.

 

[noodles123]

I also know someone who got it and was VERY ill. She wasn't an acquaintance at the time (she was volunteering at as rescue before I knew her). Anyway, she described it when we talked about it later and it wasn't someone she contracted right away (despite "bird X" having been at the rescue for a chunk of time). It's weird...

 

[Noahs_Birds]

A lot of birds can carry Pssitacosis, and not even show signs of the disease, and pass it on without any notice, and some time birds live there wholes lives with the disease without any notice, other may show signs and other may just die suddenly

 

[HEEDLESS]

There are two important kinds those mostly in Electus. I have Kise tested and both were negative.


Very costly, it was about $635 for those two tests that day.











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[JohnH]

It nearly killed me 2yrs ago. I visited 3 local bird stores and was in critical condition within a couple weeks. My situation was unique though. While i was in the hospital they discovered I have leukemia. I had almost no immune system, which is why i couldn't fight the Psittacosis. In total i spent 21 days in two different hospitals. The first hospital treated the Psittacosis. The second one treated me with chemotherapy. It was not a fun experience.

 

[LaManuka]

Well prior to reading your post JohnH I was going to post about how relatively harmless psittacosis is to humans, but leukaemia is one humdinger of a pre-existing underlying condition! Thank heavens you pulled through!

I once had a GCC with the very low-level "carrier" type psittacosis but we went through the whole antibiotic saga with him anyway (he hated it!). I mentioned it to my GP and he said if I caught it that he wanted to do a study on me because he'd never had a patient with psittacosis before - and he still hasn't

 

[Laurasea]

A lot of birds can carry Pssitacosis, and not even show signs of the disease, and pass it on without any notice, and some time birds live there wholes lives with the disease without any notice, other may show signs and other may just die suddenly

This is a very important point. This is why birds who move to a new home and under go stress can suddenly get ill. The disease becomes clinical. This is why birds who haven't had contact with any other birds for years, can get sick. All respiratory illness in birds should be screened for psittacosis.

 

[Noahs_Birds]

A lot of birds can carry Pssitacosis, and not even show signs of the disease, and pass it on without any notice, and some time birds live there wholes lives with the disease without any notice, other may show signs and other may just die suddenly

This is a very important point. This is why birds who move to a new home and under go stress can suddenly get ill. The disease becomes clinical. This is why birds who haven't had contact with any other birds for years, can get sick. All respiratory illness in birds should be screened for psittacosis.

Exactly Right