Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T22:03:15.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

167 - Chlamydia Psittaci (Psittacosis)

from Part XX - Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2013

Alfred E. Bacon III
Affiliation:
Jefferson Medical College
David Schlossberg
Affiliation:
Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia
Get access

Summary

Chlamydophila psittaci was identified simultaneously by three investigators in 1930. It is one of four species within the genus Chlamydia. Based on RNA sequencing, it is currently considered distinct from Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis, despite phenotypic and physiologic similarities that have taxonomically bound them for many years. The organism is an obligate intracellular pathogen that contains both RNA and DNA but lacks a classic cell wall. These characteristics contribute to both the clinical manifestations as well as determine therapeutic options. Chlamydophila psittaci has a wide range of host species, including birds, humans, and lower mammals. Chlamydophila pneumoniae, however, is found only in humans, and Chlamydia trachomatis only in humans and mice.

The systemic illness associated with C. psittaci has been termed psittacosis because of its association with parrots and psittacine birds. Subsequently, many avian species have been found to harbor C. psittaci and to transmit the organism to humans, causing disease. The term ornithosis would be more appropriate; however, it is not traditional. The organism can be carried for years in birds, remaining latent causing disease many years after acquisition. Transmission to humans can occur even in the absence of disease in the bird. Excretion in the feces with aerosolization is the typical mode of transmission. Human-to-human transmission has been documented rarely and usually in the setting of severe disease. Health care workers have acquired the disease, but it is not felt warranted to isolate patients when hospitalized.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×