psittacosis

Introduction

a form of pneumonia from contact with sick birds (eg. diarrhoea, not eating, ruffled feathers, watery eyes) infected by Chlamydia psittaci - usually by inhaled dried bird droppings or from kissing bird beaks or handling feathers
Psittacosis numbers can fluctuate seasonally, with environmental factors such as drought, floods and bushfires or anything affecting availability of food and causing stress in birds and their environment.
- increased infections in Victorian Alpine region in Spring 2020
person-to-person spread is extremely rare

avoid close contact with wild birds if possible
use a catcher and wear a dust mask when mowing lawns
wash hands after tending pets or wild birds
seek medical attention if pet or caged birds develop signs of a respiratory illness

incubation period 4-19 days
fever, chills, headache (often severe), dry cough, acute dyspnoea / shortness of breath (SOB) - all similar symptoms to acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis / bird fancier's lung / farmer's lung but bird fancier's lung acute illness usually comes on within hours of heavy exposure
in the 1st week it may mimic Salmonella typhi (typhoid enteric fever) - arthralgias, high fevers, epistaxis, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, elevated LFTs, diarrhoea, rose spots and by the end of the week, splenomegaly is common
in the 2nd week it usually looks more like a pneumonic presentation with CXR changes
it may develop into pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis or myocarditis