Psittacosis is common in wild birds of all types, but it is particularly common in pigeons and in birds of the parrot family. Psittacosis can cause respiratory infections in man.
Psittacosis is highly contagious from bird to bird and from bird to man.
Psittacosis is the zoonotic disease most likely to be transmitted from a laboratory animal to a worker at UC Davis. Psittacosis can be consistently found in wild and domestic populations of virtually all species of birds. While most infections in birds are inapparent, psittacosis occasionally results in illness in birds, especially if the birds are crowded or stressed. Sick birds may show respiratory distress, diarrhea, weight loss, and occasional mortality. Infected birds, especially sick ones, are highly contagious to other birds and to human beings.