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Volume 32, Number 5—May 2026

Synopsis

Three Fatal Gestational Psittacosis Cases Caused by Chlamydia psittaci Strains Belonging to Closely Related Lineages, Japan

Atsuko Nishino, Yukiko Nakura, Yukiko Sassa-O’Brien, Momoko Soeda, Hirokazu Sugii, Kanako Shimizu, Shiro Miura, Yumiko Sato, Michinobu Yoshimura1, Michiko Kodama, and Itaru YanagiharaComments to Author 
Author affiliation: Research Institute, Osaka Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Osaka, Japan (A. Nishino, Y. Nakura, M. Yoshimura, I. Yanagihara); The University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan (A. Nishino, M. Kodama, I. Yanagihara); Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan (Y. Sassa-O’Brien); NHO Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan (M. Soeda, S. Miura); NHO Iwakuni Clinical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan (H. Sugii, Y. Sato); Tannan Health Welfare Center, Fukui, Japan (K. Shimizu); Maizuru Kyosai Hospital, Kyoto, Japan (K. Shimizu)

Main Article

Table 2

Clinical findings in 7 cases of gestational psittacosis reported in Japan during 2000–2024*

Case identification Year Maternal
age		 Gestational age at onset Parity Symptoms Antibiotics administered Maternal death Fetal death Reference
1
 2000
 Not reported
 35 wks 3 d
 Not reported
 Fever, cough
 CLR, MNO
 N
 N
 (31)
2 (FO-01)
 2017
 26
 23 wks 4 d
 0
 Fever, vomiting
 None
 Y
 Y
 (17,18); this study
3
 2017
 31
 17 wks 1 d
 0
 Fever, malaise, headache, muscle pain
 MEM
 Y
 Y
 (5)
4
 2021
 31
 15 wks 3 d
 3
 Fever, cough, headache
 MEM, CSL, MNZ, AZM
 N
 Y
 (32)
5
 2022
 24
 25 wks 2 d
 0
 Fever, malaise
 TC
 N
 N
 (33)
6 (YO-02)
 2022
 28
 25 wks 5 d
 1
 Fever, muscle pain
 MEPM
 Y
 Y
 (19,20); this study
7 (NO-03) 2024 32 37 wks 2 d 2 Fever Not reported Y Y This study

*AZM, azithromycin; CLR, clarithromycin; CSL, cefoperazone/sulbactam; MEM, meropenem; MNO, minocycline; MTR, metronidazole; TCY, tetracycline.

Main Article

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Main Article

1Current affiliation: Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Page created: April 01, 2026
Page updated: April 16, 2026
Page reviewed: April 16, 2026
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