Psittacosis – parrot fever

Psittacosis, a lung infection which is also called parrot fever. The bacteria which causes the disease in humans is carried by birds, which often show no sign of disease.

People who have close contact with birds, such as parrot breeders, people who work in poultry plants or live near high density native bird populations, are at increased risk.

Infection is generally caused by inhaling the dust from dried bird faeces or dry eye and nasal secretions from infected birds. The symptoms are flu like with abrupt onset of headache. Thankfully, the disease is uncommon in commercial poultry flocks.

Infections have also been seen in cattle sheep horses, cats and dogs.