tetracycline and Psittacosis

A case of acute, severe pneumonia with respiratory insufficiency due to Chlamydia psittaci is described. Rapid improvement with tetracycline therapy in all symptoms and arterial blood gases is demonstrated. The diagnosis of psittacosis was secured by both cultivation and serological verification. A comprehensive review of the literature is appended. The present report attests to the need for inclusion of C. psittaci as a possible aetiologic agent causing fulminating community-acquired pneumonia.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chlamydophila psittaci; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Radiography; Tetracycline

A 57-year-old man with symptoms and signs consistent with atypical pneumonia had epidemiologic and later serologic evidence of psittacosis pneumonia. Therapy with tetracycline resulted in rapid resolution.

Topics: Ciprofloxacin; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Animals; Birds; Chick Embryo; Chlamydia; Chlamydia Infections; Complement Fixation Tests; DNA, Bacterial; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Humans; Lung; Male; Mice; Neutralization Tests; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; RNA, Bacterial; Sputum; Sulfadiazine; Tetracycline; United States; Virulence; Zoonoses

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacitracin; Bird Diseases; Birds; Chlamydia; Chlamydia Infections; Chloramphenicol; Conjunctivitis, Inclusion; Cycloserine; Disease Models, Animal; Erythromycin; Glycosides; Humans; Lymphogranuloma Venereum; Nystatin; Penicillins; Polymyxins; Psittacosis; Sulfonamides; Tetracycline; Trachoma; Vancomycin

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Chlamydia Infections; Conjunctivitis, Inclusion; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Penicillins; Psittacosis; Sulfonamides; Tetracycline; Trachoma

Psittacosis is a rare disease caused by Chlamydophila psittaci, an intracellular bacteria transmitted by contaminated birds. The clinical and radiological presentations are nonspecific. We describe a case of a 42-year-old woman, with known exposure to birds, who presented to the emergency department with one-week evolution of myalgia, polyarthritis, and respiratory symptoms. At admission, she had fever, respiratory failure, raised inflammatory markers and bilateral interstitial infiltrates at chest radiography. Considering the clinical findings and epidemiological background, we raised the hypothesis of a Chlamydophila psittaci atypical pneumonia that was serologically confirmed. Tetracyclines are the mainstay of treatment and the macrolides are an effective alternative. We highlight the importance of the epidemiological context in the early diagnosis and treatment of this infection.. A psitacose é uma entidade rara provocada pela Chlamydophila psittaci, uma bactéria intracelular obrigatória que se transmite através do contacto com aves contaminadas. A apresentação clínica e imagiológica é inespecífica. Reporta-se o caso clínico de uma mulher de 42 anos, com história de exposição a pássaros, que se apresenta no Serviço de Urgência com um quadro de mialgias, poliartralgias e clínica de infeção respiratória, com uma semana de evolução. À admissão, encontrava-se febril, com insuficiência respiratória do tipo 1, elevação dos parâmetros inflamatórios e infiltrados intersticiais difusos bilaterais na radiografia de tórax. Considerando o quadro clínico e o contexto epidemiológico de risco, colocou-se a hipótese de pneumonia atípica por Chlamydophila psittaci, confirmada serologicamente. As tetraciclinas são o esteio do tratamento, sendo os macrólidos uma alternativa eficaz. Realça-se a importância do contexto epidemiológico, para uma abordagem diagnóstica e terapêutica apropriadas.

Topics: Adult; Agapornis; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chlamydial Pneumonia; Chlamydophila psittaci; Early Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Macrolides; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Clinically healthy homing pigeons may serve as an unnoticed reservoir for zoonotic bacteria. Hence, healthy pigeons from 172 different racing pigeon lofts were examined for Salmonella serovars, Campylobacter spp. and Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) psittaci. Two samplings were performed during the racing season in summer (1242 adult and 1164 juvenile pigeons) and two during winter (1074 adult pigeons). Each sampling was accompanied by a questionnaire to identify risk factors for positive lofts. Between 0.9 and 3.7%, 13.1 and 23.7%, and 12.8 and 42.6% of lofts were tested positive by cultural methods or polymerase chain reaction for Salmonella Typhimurium var. Copenhagen, Campylobacter jejuni and C. psittaci, respectively. The detection rate of C. psittaci was twice as high in samples from juvenile pigeons (29.1%) compared with samples from adult pigeons (15.0%, P <0.001). No other influence of age or season was detected. For the first time, pigeon-derived C. jejuni isolates (n=15) were characterized for their ability to invade human enterocytes in vitro. All isolates were invasive with an invasion index between 0.4 and 34.1 (human reference strain: average 11.3). Of 50 C. jejuni isolates tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, 46.0% were resistant to ciprofloxacin. All isolates were sensitive to erythromycin and tetracycline. The analysis of risk factors in association with the infection status of lofts for C. jejuni and C. psittaci suggested that biosecurity measures reduce the risk of infection. This study indicated a zoonotic potential of pigeon-derived C. jejuni. However, clinically healthy homing pigeons pose only a low risk for transmission of the investigated pathogens to humans.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bird Diseases; Caco-2 Cells; Campylobacter Infections; Campylobacter jejuni; Chlamydophila psittaci; Ciprofloxacin; Columbidae; Erythromycin; Germany; Humans; Incidence; Male; Phenotype; Psittacosis; Risk Factors; Salmonella Infections, Animal; Salmonella typhimurium; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Contraindications; Doxycycline; Female; Humans; Male; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Psittacosis marked by liver and spleen involvement and minimal pericarditis was observed in an 18-year-old patient hospitalized for fever of 1 month duration. At admission, there was no other clinical manifestation and the chest X-ray showed no sign of pulmonary involvement. Liver tests revealed cholestasis. Ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed multiple nodular formations in the liver and spleen, images confirmed on computed tomography. Liver biopsy showed granulomatous with hyperplasia of the Kupffer cells surrounded by healthy tissue. Complement fixation to psittacosis antigen was positive and increased significantly over a 15-day interval. Treatment with tetracycline led to rapid remission of the fever and normalization of the liver tests and hepatic images. Liver involvement in psittacosis is not uncommon, but this is apparently the first case reporting echographic anomalies. The absence of pulmonary involvement has been reported earlier in a few cases. The diagnosis is usually suggested on the basis of epidemiologic criteria and confirmed by complement fixation.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Liver Diseases; Male; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Ultrasonography

After the official confirmation of psittacosis in a collection of psittacine birds a total of 40 of them died during treatment with tetracycline. 36 of them underwent post mortem examination. From 33 birds the causative herpesvirus of Pacheco's parrot disease (PPD) was isolated and/or a non-purulent hepatitis diagnosed, the latter a characteristic for PPD. The cause of the outbreak was assumed to be a latent herpesvirus infection of individual birds which was activated by various stress factors during the psittacosis treatment. The macroscopic and histologic lesions, the results of virological investigations and the in vitro effect of acyclovir on the multiplication of the isolated herpes virus are described.

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Disease Outbreaks; Herpesviridae; Herpesviridae Infections; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Stress, Physiological; Tetracycline

Patients with pneumonia not responding to treatment with betalactam drugs and patients where an "atypical" etiology is suspected from the beginning, are often given erythromycin to cover mycoplasma and legionella. Erythromycin has also been effective for Chlamydia pneumoniae. If, however, ornithosis is suspected the recommended drug has been tetracycline. Since we noted that several patients had a favourable course on erythromycin despite a final serological diagnosis of ornithosis, we retrospectively studied patients admitted with acute lower respiratory tract infection and a 4-fold titer rise to C. psittaci. We found 35 patients treated with a betalactam drug (n = 12), tetracycline (n = 2), or erythromycin (n = 5) alone, or with a betalactam, which because of non-responsiveness was followed by either tetracycline (n = 4) or erythromycin (n = 12). The data were analysed with survival analysis by a Cox' regression model. There was a significant (p less than 0.001) effect of treatment on the time to defervescence, mainly due to a difference between the erythromycin treated group and the betalactam treated group. We found erythromycin to be at least as effective as tetracycline for treating C. psittaci pneumonia. Since erythromycin has to be used to cover legionella in patients with severe pneumonia when an atypical etiology cannot be excluded, it is an important conclusion that this drug seems to cover C. psittaci as well.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Therapy, Combination; Erythromycin; Fever; Humans; Lactams; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Retrospective Studies; Tetracycline; Time Factors

Topics: Adult; Antigens, Bacterial; Chlamydia Infections; Chlamydophila psittaci; Complement Fixation Tests; Doxycycline; Erythromycin; Female; Humans; Minocycline; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Chlamydophila psittaci; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Meningism; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Birds; Doxycycline; Humans; Jurisprudence; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Acute Disease; Chlamydophila psittaci; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Radiography; Tetracycline

While the term "atypical pneumonia" has been in use for many years, it cannot in fact be defined. However, there is a persuasive reason to retain the clinical use of the term, and that is to provide a guide for the clinician in the choice of empirical antibiotic therapy for patients with acute pneumonia. Atypical pneumonia, then, is a descriptive term for a common clinical syndrome. Provided certain clinicoepidemiological groups are excluded, the most common infectious causes of this syndrome are Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, Coxiella burneti, and Legionella species, but it should be stressed that the syndrome may occasionally be produced by other infectious and non-infectious diseases. Conversely, the atypical pneumonia syndrome occupies only one part of the clinical spectrum of disease that is caused by these organisms. This becomes important when one is selecting antibiotic therapy for patients with other respiratory syndromes, especially those with life-threatening disease. The antimicrobial therapy of the three common causes of atypical pneumonia is discussed in detail.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Erythromycin; Humans; Legionnaires' Disease; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma; Psittacosis; Rifampin; Tetracycline

Two patients were admitted directly to our Intensive Care Unit in acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia with septicaemic shock, renal and hepatic impairment. Sputum and blood cultures failed to grow any organisms and despite broad spectrum antibiotic therapy for 7 days, neither patient improved. Diagnosis of the rare pneumonic form of psittacosis was made following a raised titre. After treatment with tetracyclines, both patients made a rapid recovery. Retrospective direct questioning revealed that they had close contact with psitacine birds.

Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Organ Failure; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Serologic Tests; Tetracycline

Echocardiographic diagnosis of a case of endocarditis, subsequently proven to be due to a chlamydial organism, is described. Early echocardiographic diagnosis guided initial medical management and directed urgent surgical intervention when the patient deteriorated. Reported cases of chlamydial endocarditis are reviewed.

Topics: Antigens, Bacterial; Aortic Valve Insufficiency; Chlamydophila psittaci; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Birds; Humans; Parakeets; Parrots; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Quarantine; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Parrots; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Brucellosis; Cats; Colorado Tick Fever; Dogs; Female; Humans; Leptospirosis; Male; Michigan; Middle Aged; Pasteurella Infections; Penicillins; Pregnancy; Psittacosis; Pyrimethamine; Relapsing Fever; Tetracycline; Toxoplasmosis; Zoonoses

Topics: Chlamydophila psittaci; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Myocarditis; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Complement Fixation Tests; Disease Outbreaks; Encephalitis; England; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Birds; Humans; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation; Female; Humans; Hypoxia; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Chlamydia; Mycoses; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Quarantine; Tetracycline

Six elderly patients with serological evidence of psittacosis but atypical syndromes are described. These cases illustrate the difficulties in diagnosing this infection in the old. Four patients were febrile and three had lesions visible on X-ray of the chest. Three died, in one acute toxic viral myocarditis seemed the cause. All were treated with tetracycline, which must be given generously. Psittacosis infection would probably be more commonly diagnosed in the old if serological examinations were carried out in old people immediately on their administration to hospital because of a severe febrile illness. Serological tests appear clearly to be the most certain means of identifying psittacosis in patients with multiple pathology.

Topics: Age Factors; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Serologic Tests; Tetracycline

Topics: Chlamydia; Complement Fixation Tests; Humans; Lung Diseases; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Bacterial; Child; Complement Fixation Tests; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Humans; Male; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Antibody Formation; Chlamydia; Complement Fixation Tests; Humans; Male; Penicillins; Prognosis; Psittacosis; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Crowding; Legislation, Veterinary; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Quarantine; Sterilization; Tetracycline

Topics: Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Influenza, Human; Lung; Mycoplasma Infections; Pleural Effusion; Psittacosis; Q Fever; Radiography; Sulfamethoxazole; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Birds; Complement Fixation Tests; Cough; England; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Radiography; Seasons; Sex Factors; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chlamydia; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Body Weight; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Paired blood specimens submitted to the Virus Laboratory, between January and September 1970, from 200 patients with a lower respiratory tract infection were examined for antibodies to the psittacosis-human pneumonitis group antigen. A high static titre of antibodies was found in four patients and a rising titre in three. The illness varied in the seven patients, tending to be severe, chronic and recurrent. All patients recovered following a course of antibiotic therapy which was repeated in four; treatment tended to be inadequate since the diagnosis of psittacosis was made retrospectively. The likely source of the infection in four of the patients was budgerigars, in one it was pigeons, in one it was a canary as well as a pigeon, and in one the source was not identified. Two additional patients had a fairly high static titre of antibodies to the psittacosis-human pneumonitis antigen but were excluded from this report since they showed a diagnostic increase in antibodies to a respiratory virus during the course of their illness; both patients had an avian contact and are being followed up.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibodies; Chronic Disease; Complement Fixation Tests; Disease Reservoirs; Female; Humans; Male; Manitoba; Middle Aged; Psittacosis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Tetracycline

A case report of a patient severely ill with psittacosis is presented, together with an epidemiological study of his fellow workers. This study illustrates the contagiousness of the disease and indicates that it is probably more prevalent than clinical experience suggests. Only three of the 83 persons studied who were exposed became ill enough to seek medical attention. It is important that both the physician and the public be made aware of this disease so that definitive treatment can be instituted as early as possible. Tetracycline is the drug of choice. Since this infection is widespread among many varieties of birds, and is not confined to those of the parrot family, this disease must be considered in any patient with an atypical pneumonia, especially when there has been contact with a bird. Since there is not likely to be a reinstitution of the ban on the importation of psittacine birds as domestic pets, the only alternative means of controlling outbreaks of this disease is public and physician awareness. Since some outbreaks appear to be spread from man to man, sometimes with high mortality, it is important that any patient suspected of having this disease be kept in strict isolation.

Topics: Adult; Epidemiologic Methods; Humans; Male; Ontario; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Complement Fixation Tests; Erythema Nodosum; Female; Humans; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Aged; Chronic Disease; Dermatitis, Exfoliative; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phlebitis; Psittacosis; Skin Manifestations; Tetracycline; Urticaria

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chlamydia; Erythromycin; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Male; Mice; Psittacosis; Rickettsia; Scrub Typhus; Streptomyces; Tetracycline; Time Factors

Topics: Adult; Animals; Child; Female; Hepatitis; Humans; Male; Meningoencephalitis; Middle Aged; Myocarditis; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Asthenia; Chlamydia; Columbidae; Communicable Diseases; Complement Fixation Tests; Cough; France; Humans; Lung Diseases; Lymph Nodes; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittacosis; Radiography, Thoracic; Tetracycline; Tomography

Topics: Adult; Aged; Animals; Birds; Child; Columbidae; Complement Fixation Tests; Disease Vectors; England; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittacosis; Radiography; Serologic Tests; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chloramphenicol; Chlortetracycline; Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Reservoirs; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Penicillin G; Pneumonia; Procaine; Psittacosis; Radiography, Thoracic; Tetracycline

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chlamydia; Consciousness; Encephalitis; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Movement Disorders; Parkinson Disease; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Tremor

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Austria; Chloramphenicol; Diagnosis, Differential; Endocarditis; Female; Humans; Male; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittacosis; Seasons; Sex Factors; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Alanine Transaminase; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Blood Sedimentation; Chloramphenicol; Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Male; Methods; Middle Aged; Pericarditis; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adult; Animal Feed; Animals; Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Encephalitis; Female; Germany, West; Humans; Legislation, Medical; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittaciformes; Psittacosis; Sputum; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bird Diseases; Birds; Chloramphenicol; Columbidae; Complement Fixation Tests; Drug Therapy; Humans; Parakeets; Penicillins; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Wisconsin; Zoonoses

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Black People; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Therapy; Epidemiology; Humans; Penicillins; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Radiography, Thoracic; South Africa; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Bacitracin; Chlamydia; Chlamydophila psittaci; Complement Fixation Tests; Conjunctivitis; Conjunctivitis, Inclusion; Dihydrostreptomycin Sulfate; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Guinea Pigs; Pharmacology; Psittacosis; Research; Sulfadiazine; Tetracycline; Tissue Culture Techniques; Trachoma; Virus Cultivation

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bird Diseases; Birds; Humans; Male; New York; Occupational Diseases; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Statistics as Topic; Tetracycline; Zoonoses

Topics: Birds; Child; Chlamydia; Chlamydophila psittaci; Complement Fixation Tests; Epidemiology; Fever; Humans; Influenza, Human; Lymphogranuloma Venereum; Penicillins; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Scotland; Sulfonamides; Tetracycline

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Therapy; Germany; Germany, East; Humans; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Seasons; Statistics as Topic; Tetracycline

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chloramphenicol; Epidemiology; Germany; Germany, East; Humans; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Complement Fixation Tests; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Pneumonia; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Adenoviridae Infections; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bronchopneumonia; Child; Cortisone; Erythromycin; Humans; Infant; Influenza, Human; Penicillins; Plasma Cells; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis; Pneumonia, Rickettsial; Pneumonia, Viral; Psittacosis; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Q Fever; Streptomycin; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Chlamydia; Chlamydophila psittaci; Chlortetracycline; Goats; Pneumonia; Psittacosis; Tetracycline; Virus Diseases; Viruses

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chlortetracycline; Oxytetracycline; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Psittacosis; Tetracycline

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Psittacosis; Tetracycline