Definition of "psittacosis" []

• An infectious disease of parrots and related birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci, that is communicable to humans, in whom it produces high fever, severe headache, and symptoms similar to pneumonia. Also called parrot fever. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "It was presumed to be due to a virus, and as Australia's only recognized virologist, material from guinea pigs was sent down to him. 8 On histological examination of tissues from an infected mouse he noticed a "vague herringbone pattern" which recalled what he had seen in psittacosis and had read about for rickettsiae, and using Castaneda's stain he had no doubt that the organism was a rickettsia."
• "Birds, especially parrots, can give people a disease called psittacosis, sometimes also referred to as parrot fever, which is caused by bacteria in the droppings, on the feathers, and in the nasal secretions of infected birds."
• "The Disease is called psittacosis - also known as parrot disease, parrot fever, and ornithosis - is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci) and contracted not only from parrots, such as macaws, cockatiels and budgerigars, but also from pigeons, sparrows, ducks, hens, gulls and many other species of bird."