Psittacosis and Ornithosis

This is a disease of man and birds caused by an organism chlamydia psittaci in man etiology is chlamydia trachomatis. They are intracellular obligate parasites. Affected species: man, parrots, parakeets. The disease in man and psittacine birds is known as psittacosis. Transmission through pigeons, fowls, turkeys and ducks is known as ornithosis. Route of infections: inhalation, in birds- mites and lice may introduce infection through skin. Incubation period: 1 to 2weeks. Pathogenesis of disease through inhalation the organisms are found in the epithelial cells of the lung, air sacs and pericardial membrane as elementary bodies which are known as levinthal–cole-lillie( LCL) bodies, these are cellular inclusions, the elementary bodies on entry into a cell, become larger and forms plaques. The large bodies divide repeatedly to become smaller which again infest other cells, organism entry into the blood stream then organism reach the spleen, kidney and liver