Ornithosis Health Dictionary

A genus of micro-organisms which include those responsible for NON-SPECIFIC URETHRITIS (NSU), ORNITHOSIS, PSITTACOSIS and TRACHOMA. Chlamydia trachomitis can be sexually transmitted by both men and women and in developed countries is the most signi?cant cause of NSU. Chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoea (see GONORRHOEA) are the major cause of PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (PID) which affects around 100,000 women a year in the UK, most of whom are under 25 years of age. Chlamydia does not usually cause symptoms unless it spreads to the upper genital tract; such spread, however, may cause miscarriage (see PREGNANCY AND LABOUR) or ECTOPIC PREGNANCY. The number of diagnoses of chlamydia has doubled in the past ?ve years and the incidence of ectopic pregnancies has also been rising. The infection may well be the main preventable cause of ectopic pregnancy, one estimate being that no fewer than half of such pregnancies are linked to chlamydia infection – a ?gure that is probably much higher in young women. A preventive campaign in Sweden found that over 15 years, the incidence of ectopic pregnancies fell at the same rate as that of chlamydia diagnoses. Chlamydia infection responds well to antibiotic treatment, but education of the public about this often ‘silent’ infection, coupled with screening programmes, would go a long way to reducing the incidence.... chlamydia

(parrot disease, ornithosis) n. an endemic infection of birds, especially parrots, budgerigars, canaries, finches, pigeons, and poultry, caused by a small intracellular bacterium, Chlamydia psittaci. The birds are often asymptomatic carriers. The infection is transmitted to humans by inhalation from handling the birds or by contact with feathers, faeces, or cage dust, but person-to-person transmission also occurs. The symptoms include fever, dry cough, severe muscle pain, and headache; occasionally a severe generalized systemic illness results. The condition responds to tetracycline or erythromycin.... psittacosis