Chlamydia Psittaci, Causative Agent of Avian Chlamydiosis and Human Psittacosis: Risk Assessment and Biosafety Recommendations for Laboratory use

Human psittacosis is a zoonotic infectious disease, which is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia psittaci. Transmission of the disease usually originates from close contact with infected birds, most frequently in the context of the poultry industry, and from contact with Psittaci-formes (cockatoos, parrots, parakeets, and lories). The zoonotic nature of the bacterium makes it a threat to people in close contact with birds, such as veterinarians, farmers, employees of abattoirs, taxidermists, and pet (shop)keepers, but also to laboratory workers. The current article presents guidelines for appropriate laboratory containment of C. psittaci to prevent zoonotic transmission to humans in a laboratory environment.