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[A case of psittacosis treated with rifampicin (author's transl)]
Abstract:
A 45-year-old male who had looked over pet-birds at a bird shop 11 days before, developed a high fever with chills. Without any response to cephalexin, he was admitted to the hospital, with the chief complaints of high fever and sever headache on the 8th day of illness. The chest X-ray films taken then revealed a fun-shaped ground glass-like shadow extending over S10 of the right lung. After the oral administration of 450 mg rifampicin on the 9th day of illness, he became a febrile within one day and was cured with the same daily doses for the following 10 days. Chlamydia was isolated from the peritoneal exudate of the mice inoculated with throat mucus of the patient taken prior to the administration of rifampicin. Complement fixation reaction for psittacosis was positive in a titer of 1 : 16 on the 11th day of illness and rose to 1 : 64 in a week.
Insights
A man contracted psittacosis from pet birds, presenting with fever and headache. Rifampicin treatment rapidly resolved symptoms, confirming the efficacy of this antibiotic for treating avian chlamydial infections.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Bacteriology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Psittacosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Chlamydia psittaci, can present with severe respiratory symptoms.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy are crucial for managing psittacosis.
Observation:
- A 45-year-old male developed high fever and severe headache after exposure to pet birds.
- Initial treatment with cephalexin was ineffective; chest X-ray showed a characteristic 'fun-shaped' opacity.
- Chlamydia was isolated from patient samples, and serological tests confirmed psittacosis.
Findings:
- Oral administration of rifampicin led to rapid defervescence within 24 hours.
- The patient showed complete clinical recovery after 10 days of rifampicin treatment.
- Complement fixation tests confirmed a significant rise in antibody titers against Chlamydia psittaci.
Implications:
- Rifampicin is an effective treatment option for psittacosis, even in severe cases.
- Prompt diagnosis and targeted antibiotic therapy can prevent severe complications.
- This case highlights the importance of considering zoonotic infections in patients with relevant exposure history.