Skip to main content

Table 3 Summary of main pet bird zoonotic diseases

From: Zoonoses in pet birds: review and perspectives

Disease

Pathology

Clinical issue

Asymptomatic shedding

Transmission route

OIE listed disease

Risk for humans*

Chlamydophilosis

Systemic

Fatal

yes

D/I/V

Yes

high

Salmonellosis

Digestive to systemic

Treatable

yes

D/I/V

No

moderate

Tuberculosis

Respiratory to systemic

Fatal

no

D/I/V

Yes

high

Campylobacteriosis

Digestive to systemic

Treatable

yes

D/I/V

No

moderate

Lyme disease

 

None

no

V

No

low

Avian Influenza

Systemic

Fatal

no

D/V?

Yes

high

West Nile fever and other arboviruses

Respiratory to systemic

Fatal

yes

V

Yes (WNF)

moderate

Avian Bornavirus

Digestive/nervous to systemic

Fatal

no

D

No

null

Newcastle disease

Ocular To Systemic

Mild to fatal

yes

D/I/V

Yes

low

Toxoplasmosis

Digestive

Digestive

yes

I

No

Null to low

Giardiosis (G. duodenalis)

Digestive to systemic

Treatable

yes

I

No

moderate

Cryptosporidiosis

Digestive

Treatable

yes

I

No

moderate

Cryptococcosis

Digestive

Treatable

yes

I

No

moderate

  1. *when handling a bird without hygienic precautions.
  2. Legend: D = direct contact; I = Indirect contact; V = vector-mediated contact.