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General Reference ⬇

Nejm 1986;315:189

Pathophys and Cause ⬆ ⬇

Cause: Chlamydia psittaci

Epidemiology ⬆ ⬇

Birds like parakeets, parrots, chickens, pigeons; fecal spread. 100-200 cases from birds/yr in US

Signs and Symptoms ⬆ ⬇

Sx:

7- to 14-d incubation period

Prominent headache; fever; sore throat, dry cough

Si: Confusion, headache, and muscle spasms mimic meningitis. Pneumonitis. Bradycardia relative to temperature, r/o gram-neg shock, typhoid, yellow fever, Q fever

Course ⬆ ⬇

10-21 d, 20% fatal without rx

Complications ⬆ ⬇

r/o mycoplasma (cold agglutinins), Q fever (antibody titers), strep, and staph

Lab and Xray ⬆ ⬇

Lab:

Bact: Culture blood, sputum

Hem:ESR low frequently, r/o trichinosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis (R. Petersdorf, 1971), CHF

Serol:Complement-fixing antibody on paired sera, r/o lymphogranuloma venereum

Treatment ⬆

Rx:Tetracycline or erythromycin 500 mg qid × 2-3 wk