Recent history of psittacosis in Australia: expanding our understanding of the epidemiology of this important globally distributed zoonotic disease

Abstract

Psittacosis is a human systemic disease caused by infection with Chlamydia psittaci. Shortly after reports emerged of a global pandemic associated with contact with imported parrots, Australian researchers including Macfarlane Burnet and others demonstrated that C. psittaci was widespread in Australian parrots. Australian cases over the last two decades have revealed that environmental exposure and contact with infected horses are also risk factors in an increasingly complicated epidemiological picture for this zoonotic disease.

Undiagnosed Cases of Human Pneumonia Following Exposure to Chlamydia psittaci from an Infected Rosella Parrot

“…Australia is a home to a range of animal hosts. Amongst the wild bird species, highest prevalence of C. psittaci infections is noted in wild psittacines [ 11 ]. Despite several observations that wild psittacine birds could act as both direct and indirect reservoirs for human psittacosis and pose risk to public health, there are very few reports of psittacosis in Australia [ 11 , 12 ].…”

“…Amongst the wild bird species, highest prevalence of C. psittaci infections is noted in wild psittacines [ 11 ]. Despite several observations that wild psittacine birds could act as both direct and indirect reservoirs for human psittacosis and pose risk to public health, there are very few reports of psittacosis in Australia [ 11 , 12 ]. This paucity of reports is possibly reflecting lack of suspicion by medical practitioners or misinterpretation or incorrect application of diagnostic tests, not just in Australia but also globally [ 13 , 14 ].…”

A comprehensive review on avian chlamydiosis: a neglected zoonotic disease

“…Zoonotic psittacosis originating from birds is usually underdiagnosed (Polkinghorne et al 2020 ). Chlamydiosis in the equine will have different outcomes like bronchopneumonia accompanied by abortions in mares, hepatitis, fatal cases of encephalomyelitis, and polyarthritis in foals (Reinhold 2013 ).…”

Who is asking about medicinal cannabis in palliative care?

“…17 This broad interest across age may be prompted by high levels of media coverage heightening community awareness. 18,20 This mismatch between patient and carer interest and clinician reluctance is likely to be reflected in the low levels of prescribing to date in Australia, 19 as well as media reporting of patient dissatisfaction with clinician responses. Patient and carer information seeking and interest in discussing and learning more about medicinal cannabis is consistent with previous research, 1 but the low levels of clinician initiation of such discussions have not been previously documented.…”

“…Clinicians locally have reported uncertainty about the role of medicinal cannabis, concern about the limited evidence supporting use, and a lack of confidence about the processes of prescribing. 18,20 This mismatch between patient and carer interest and clinician reluctance is likely to be reflected in the low levels of prescribing to date in Australia, 19 as well as media reporting of patient dissatisfaction with clinician responses. 18 Almost one-third of patients in this study used self-sourced cannabis, and this is a figure consistent with previous research identifying a total of 20% of patients with cancer reporting cannabis use.…”