Chlamydia psittaci— Reemergence of a Forgotten Pathogen

Abstract

The genus chlamydia consists of two species, psittaci and trachomatis. C. psittaci attracted attention during a pandemic in 1929–1930, when it was shown to cause psittacosis ("parrot fever," from the Greek word psittakos, "parrot").¹ Exotic birds are not the only source of human infections, however. C. psittaci has been recovered from more than 130 avian species and is also an important pathogen among domestic mammals. Psittacosis is an occupational hazard to workers in the poultry industry.Psittacosis is considered to be exclusively a zoonosis; person-to-person transmission can occur but is rare. Some cases of psittacosis involve no known avian . . .