ornithosis A disease of birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci. Humans can also be infected. Sometimes the term ‘ornithosis’ is used synonymously with ‘psittacosis’, and sometimes it is reserved for the infection in birds only, ‘psittacosis’ being reserved for the disease in humans.

ornithosis A disease of birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci. Humans can also be infected. Sometimes the term ‘ornithosis’ is used synonymously with ‘psittacosis’, and sometimes it is reserved for the infection in birds only, ‘psittacosis’ being reserved for the disease in humans.

ornithosis (or-ni-thoh-sis) n. see psittacosis.