| Risk Factors Psittacosis is an infection caused by a bacterium
called Bacteria as Seen Through Microscope Copyright © Nucleus
Medical Media, Inc. Humans get psittacosis from certain birds,
including: Some infected birds have symptoms, such as losing
feathers, runny eyes, change in eating habits, and diarrhea.
Other birds appear well, but can still spread the infection to
humans. People usually become infected from breathing in dust
from the dried droppings or bodily fluids of birds that are
sick. The infection can also spread when a person touches his or
her mouth to the beak of an infected bird. Even brief exposure
to sick birds can lead to psittacosis. The infection rarely
spreads from one person to another. Factors that increase your
risk for getting psittacosis include: - Handling a pet bird
Occupations with exposure to birds, including: - Zoo worker -
Laboratory worker - Poultry plant worker Symptoms of psittacosis
begin 1–4 weeks after exposure to a sick bird. Symptoms can
involve nearly any part of t