Psittacosis: diagnosis
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Preliminary diagnosis of pneumonic form of ornithosis is established on the basis of clinical epidemiological data: patterns of atypical pneumonia (clinically, radiologically), absence of acute inflammatory blood reaction, high ESR, contact with the bird, sometimes group morbidity. The diagnosis is confirmed by the following methods.
- By the method of bacterioscopy of smears of sputum, stained by Romanovsky-Giemsa.
- Antigens of chlamydiae are determined by means of RIF or RNIF using antibodies labeled with fluorochrome.
- Biological method - by infecting chick embryos or indicator cells with the material being studied.
- Serologicheskim method - by means of RSK (diagnostic titer 1: 16-1: 32 and higher) or in paired sera taken at intervals of 10-14 days with the growth of antibody titer four times or more. Less commonly, RNGA, a diagnostic titer of 1: 512, or an increase in antibody titer in paired sera four times or more. The diagnosis of influenza-like and typhoid-like form of ornithosis is established by laboratory examination of febrile patients who had contact with a bird.
Differential diagnostics
Differential diagnosis is carried out with a wide range of acute febrile diseases, with catarrhal respiratory syndrome and lung damage; most often with pneumococcal pneumonia, ku-fever, legionellosis.
Indications for consultation of other specialists
When the changes in the upper parts of the lungs are localized, the phthisiatric consultation is shown, in the absence of positive dynamics in the lungs - consultation of the pulmonologist.
Indications for hospitalization
Hospitalization according to clinical indications (high fever over 5 days, pneumonia, not amenable to standard therapy).
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