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Psittacosis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Ornithosis; Chlamydia psittaci

Symptoms:

Blood-tinged sputum
Dry cough
Fatigue
Fever and chills
Headache
Muscle aches
Shortness of breath

Signs and tests:

The health care provider will hear abnormal lung sounds such as crackles and decreased breath sounds when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.

Tests include:

Antibody titer (rising titer over time is a sign of infection)
Blood culture (grows chlamydia)
Blood gases
CT scan of the chest
Sputum culture
X-ray of the chest

Lungs

Respiratory system

Reviewed last on: 8/29/2008
Sean O. Stitham, MD, private practice in Internal Medicine, Seattle, Washington; and Benjamin Medoff, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Brunham RC. Diseases caused by chlamydiae. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 339.

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