[Acute pericarditis with effusion as a form of presentation of psittacosis]

Psittacosis is an uncommon cause of acute pericarditis and pericardial effusion. However, some isolated cases have been reported. We present a case which the first clinical feature of psittacosis was acute pericarditis. Severe pericardial effusion associated with a pulmonary infiltrate and an epidemiologic history of contact with avian species suggested the diagnosis of psittacosis, confirmed by serological test.