Psittacosis medical therapy

Overview
The infection is treated with antibiotics. Remission of symptoms usually is evident within 48-72 hours. However, relapse can occur, and treatment must continue for at least 10-14 days after fever abates

Medical therapy

 * Tetracyclines and chloramphenicol are the drugs of choice for treating patients with psittacosis.
 * Most persons respond to:
 * Oral therapy (100 mg of doxycycline administered twice a day.
 * 500 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride administered four times a day.
 * 500 mg of chloramphenicol palmitate orally every 6 hours.
 * For initial treatment of severely ill patients, doxycycline cyclate may be administered intravenously at a dosage of 4.4 mg/kg (2 mg/lb) body weight per day divided into two infusions per day (up to 100 mg per dose).
 * In past years, tetracycline hydrochloride has been administered to patients intravenously (10-15 mg/kg body weight per day divided into four doses per day).
 * Remission of symptoms usually is evident within 48-72 hours. However, relapse can occur, and treatment must continue for at least 10-14 days after fever abates.
 * Although its in vivo efficacy has not been determined, erythromycin probably is the best alternative agent for persons for whom tetracycline is contraindicated (e.g., children aged less than 9 years and pregnant women).