The disease caused by C. psittaci, psittacosis, was first characterized in 1879 when seven individuals in Switzerland were found to experience pneumonia after exposure to tropical pet birds.
A enfermidade causada por C. psittaci, chamada psittacose, identificouse por primeira vez en 1879 cando sete persoas en Suíza contraeron pneumonía despois de ter estado expostas a aves tropicais que tiñan como mascotas.