Avian Chlamydiosis (Psittacosis) Diagnosis

Information about how the disease is diagnosed.

Birds
In birds, cloudy air sacs and enlarged liver and spleen are usually observed. Isolation of C. psittaci from the spleen, liver, air sacs, pericardium, heart, or intestines is the optimal diagnostic verification. The infection can be diagnosed by a special test performed on swabs from the mouth or cloaca. Laboratory procedures for identifying the organism include: polymerase chain reaction (PCR), antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the chromatic or immunologic staining of tissue-impression smears.

Humans
In humans, the disease is diagnosed by isolating the infectious agent from the patient’s sputum or blood, or by blood tests that demonstrate antibody to C. psittaci.