Introduction:
Psittacosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Chlamydia psittaci and most cases involve avian contact history. In humans, psittacosis induces symptoms ranging from mild ‘flu-like’ symptoms to serious atypical pneumonia. Unless specifically thought of, the diagnosis of psittacosis can be missed and the disease is usually treated as atypical pneumonia. Here, we detail cases of psittacosis related to pet birds.
Case presentation:
A 16-year-old male was admitted with fever and persistent cough. The patient reported previous treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics that led to limited improvement of his condition, and owning pet birds; thus, psittacosis was suspected. Serum samples from the patient were obtained and tested using a microimmunofluorescence assay, revealing an IgG titre of 64. An epidemiological investigation was conducted in five family members related to the patient; two possessed anti-C. psittaci antibodies (IgG titre = 64 and IgM titre = 20; IgG titre = 128 and IgA titre = 20). Additionally, C. psittaci DNA was detected by PCR carried out on the family's pet birds.
Conclusion:
Psittacosis probably occurs more often than reported. Individuals with milder cases may not seek medical attention, and physicians may not inquire about bird exposure. There is a need for awareness campaigns directed at health workers and birds owners.
A 60-year-old patient came to the IIER due to abdominal pain for 2 days, associated with flu with cough. The patient treated schistosomiasis twice without effects. During physical examination and complementary exams, she presented ecchymosis in the midline of the abdomen, normal platelet level, giant hematoma in the rectus abdominais muscle without periportal changes. A careful retrospective analysis shows inconsistency between the initial platelet levels and the severe progression of the clinical. The investigation and confirmation of thrombocytopenia is very important, and some medical center recommend manual counting through blood smears. Prospective studies are needed to know how platelet measurements should be performed in schistosomiasis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.