Ornithosis
Ornithosis is an acute infectious disease that manifests itself with intoxication syndrome, lung damage, prolonged course with periodic exacerbations. The synonym of the disease is Psittacosis.
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS
The causative agent of ornithosis is chlamydia, which is well resistant to the external environment and disinfection. The source of the disease is wild, domestic, agricultural birds: pigeons, parrots, ducks. In birds, ornithosis proceeds latently, without any clinic. The manifestation of symptoms of ornithosis in birds is possible only if their care is disrupted. Then the birds become sluggish, refuse to eat, they have diarrhea, mucus discharge from the spout. The bird stays in this state for 8-9 days and dies. The transmission mechanism is aerogenic, the paths are airborne, airborne dust. Infection with ornithosis occurs when inhaling fecal microparticles in the air. The disease has a professional coloring: poultry farmers, poultry farm workers, hunters, owners of decorative indoor birds are most often ill.
The incubation period lasts from 5 days to a month, more often about 20 days.
symptoms
The onset of the disease develops gradually with malaise. Nausea, arthralgia (joint pain) appears. Then there is acute chills, fever, intoxication syndrome develops – headache, myalgia, lower back pain, throat. The patient is weakened, he suffers from insomnia, catarrhal symptoms: sore throat, cough, hoarseness of voice, redness of the sclera and conjunctiva. Then there is a feeling of tightness, burning, soreness in the chest. On day 4-5, catarrhal changes intensify, shortness of breath appears, sometimes cyanosis. In some cases, pleurisy develops, which can take a chronic turn with frequent relapses.
diagnostics
The main method of diagnosis of ornithosis is an allergic test. This is an intradermal test, with the help of which an ornithotic allergen is injected into the middle third of the forearm. This procedure is carried out until the 5th day of the disease. Serological method is also used – complement binding reaction, immunofluorescence.
treatment
All patients with ornithosis must be hospitalized. Antibacterial therapy with tetracycline drugs, Rifampicin, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed as early as possible.
With timely treatment, the prognosis of the outcome of the disease is favorable. After recovery, a number of patients still have asthenic syndrome, sluggish inflammatory processes in the lungs that last up to several years.
PREVENTION
Veterinary supervision of birds in factories, zoos, early diagnosis of ornithosis in domestic birds.
Preventive disinfection, as well as current and final (in case of an established disease in the patient).
Before releasing the carcasses of birds to the outlet from the poultry farm, it must be thermally treated (the method is industrial). Eggs are also subject to heat treatment. The remaining fluff and feather must be burned. All these activities are necessarily carried out in respirators, glasses, strictly observing the rules of personal hygiene.
In the hearth, disinfection is ongoing and final. Contact – control for 2 weeks, thermometry. Everyone is given an allergic test, tetracycline antibiotics are prescribed.
