Possible nosocomial transmission of psittacosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a cluster of seven pneumonia cases among persons exposed to a pet-shop worker hospitalized with psittacosis.


METHODS
Epidemiological study of the outbreak, sero-diagnostic evaluation of exposed persons with pneumonia; and retrospective review of the pneumonia cases.


METHODS
450-bed teaching community hospital.


METHODS
Employees of the nursing unit where the patient with psittacosis was hospitalized.


RESULTS
The index case had laboratory and clinical evidence of psittacosis. Four of the seven exposed persons who developed pneumonia had serologic results that met criteria for a diagnosis of psittacosis, and three met criteria for Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, possibly reflecting cross-reactivity between the microimmunofluorescence assays for the two diseases. The epidemiological graph suggested a relationship between the index case and the cluster of pneumonias in exposed individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
Psittacosis may have been transmitted person to person in a hospital setting.
Hughes
C
C
Department of Infectious Diseases, Evansville Center for Medical Education, IN, USA.
Maharg
P
P
Rosario
P
P
Herrell
M
M
Bratt
D
D
Salgado
J
J
Howard
D
D
D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D014481:United States