psittacosis

[ sit-uh-koh-sis ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a rickettsial disease affecting birds of the parrot family, pigeons, and domestic fowl, caused by the chlamydia Chlamydia psittaci and transmissible to humans.

psittacosis

/ ˌsɪtəˈkəʊsɪs /

noun

1. a disease of parrots, caused by the obligate intracellular parasite Chlamydia psittaci, that can be transmitted to man, in whom it produces inflammation of the lungs and pneumonia Also calledparrot feverornithosis

Word History and Origins

Origin of psittacosis¹

1895–1900; < Latin psittac ( us ) parrot (< Greek psittakós ) + -osis

Word History and Origins

Origin of psittacosis¹

C19: from New Latin, from Latin psittacus a parrot, from Greek psittakos; see -osis