Hepatitis in a family infected by Chlamydia psittaci

Hepatic involvement is considered a rare complication of psittacosis. Occurrence of icteric hepatitis as the cardinal manifestation of the disease has been rarely reported. We describe two members of a family infected by psittacosis, in whom icteric hepatitis was the prominent expression of the disease. The diagnosis of psittacosis was confirmed by isolation of the pathogen and by detection of serum antibodies to Chlamydia species. No serological evidence for acute TWAR infection was found. Chlamydia psittaci was also isolated from the family's parrot.