[The cat as a possible infection source for Chlamydia psittaci keratoconjunctivitis in humans]

Acute follicular keratoconjunctivitis in a 25-year-old female patient was diagnosed as an infection with Chlamydia psittaci supposedly originating from a household cat with similar symptoms. The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, the appearance of Chlamydia-psittaci-specific IgM in the patient and the cat, and excluded other pathogenic agents. Chlamydiae organisms could not be isolated, probably due to prior antibiotic treatment. Two weeks of continuous treatment led to complete recovery of the patient and the cat. Other zoonotic infections of conjunctivitis in cats and keratoconjunctivitis in man caused by Chlamydia psittaci are mentioned.