Though
a great source of intelligent companionship, pet birds can also give
you a potentially fatal case of Psittacosis. Also known as “parrot
fever”, Psittacosis is an aggressive, avian form of Chlamydiosis,
closely related to the disease better known as a sexually transmitted
infection in humans. The infection reached pandemic proportions in the
late 1920s following increased
importation of parrots from South America, and deaths have occurred from
time to time since. The disease may manifest as high fevers, muscle
rigidity, and eye irritation, all the way to spleen enlargement, heart
distress and brain swelling. Fortunately, death is usually preventable
through appropriate antibiotic treatment.
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