Originally the fever was thought to come from contact with parrots only. Psittakos is the Greek word for parrot. The bacterial strain Chlamydia psittaci, which infects birds, causes parrot fever in humans. The bird itself may not show any significant signs of illness, but the bacteria are present in the bird's droppings.
People get the disease by inhaling bacteria-laden dust from the dried droppings.
Although many other types of birds are now recognized as carriers of this infection, pet parrots and parakeets are still the most common source for humans. Symptoms you are likely to notice The fever usually appears suddenly and is accompanied by flulike symptoms, including chills, profuse sweating, headache , and cough. Later there may be difficulty in breathing. Symptoms your physician may observe Patients with parrot fever may show signs of lung-tissue inflammation and swelling of the spleen . Blood tests are needed to differentiate this disease from others with similar symptoms.