Psittacosis, a disease of pslttacine birds and man, and ornithosis, the name for the same disease In non-pslttacine birds, Is caused by one of a unique group of microorganisms collectively called the Bedsonia. There vere 79 human cases of psittacosis in the Halted States in 19^3# about one-eighth the number reported a decade ago. These occurred In 19 States and stemmed from three principal sources of infection: pet parakeets, domestic turkeys, and pigeons. The principal reasons for the low incidence of psittacosis in man appear to be effective public health control measures. These include federal and State lavs and regulations relating to the shipment of pslttacine birds, which are sumnarized In this report.

I. Summary -- II. Review of Bedsoniae -- III. Incidence of psittacosis -- IV. Summary of psittacosis regulations.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection