There are many strains of C. psittaci. Transmission Transmission occurs through inhalation of infected particles. In pet bird households, most freshly cleaned cages stay clean for about 30 seconds before the inhabitants begin the daily ritual of preening, fluffing, defecating, vocalizing, bathing, tossing food everywhere and toy destruction. It's not difficult to imagine how easy it is for the organism to spread with birds in close contact or by aerosols created by wing flapping. Conjunctivitis and nasal discharge are characteristic of infected pigeons.
Morbidity is rare, and the organism appears to be part of the bird's normal microbial flora.
Ratite chlamydiosis causes nonspecific clinical and pathologic lesions. Adults may be latently infected, although anemia is common and LDH and AST levels may be increased five to ten times. Birds with persistent infections may not be recognized until they infect other birds or their caretakers. Conjunctivitis may be the predominant clinical sign in infected domestic geese and ducks. Both chickens and turkeys can acquire chlamydiosis.