ornithosis

9.9

An illness people catch from sick birds that harms the lungs

noun
/ˌɔrnɪˈθoʊsɪs/

Specialized

: ornitosis

After handling sick pigeons, he developed a severe case of ornithosis.

Examples

Proper protective equipment is essential to prevent ornithosis in people working with birds.
Veterinarians warned about an outbreak of ornithosis among local poultry workers.
The doctor diagnosed her with ornithosis after examining her symptoms.
Many people are unaware of ornithosis and its symptoms.
After handling sick pigeons, he developed a severe case of ornithosis.
Proper protective equipment is essential to prevent ornithosis in people working with birds.
Veterinarians warned about an outbreak of ornithosis among local poultry workers.

Synonyms

psittacosis

vsornithosis

Specialized

1 9.9

A disease you can get from birds that causes flu-like symptoms

is a broader bird to human infection not limited to one bacterium

parrot fever

vsornithosis

Specialized

7.2

An infection people get from sick birds, often parrots, that causes lung illness

is similar but covers bird infections generally, not only the pneumonia form

parrot disease

vsornithosis

Specialized

6.1

An illness in parrots caused by bacteria that can pass to people

is the human infection focus rather than the disease described in birds

Surface Forms

ornithosis singular

ornithoses plural

Morphology

ornithosis = ornithology (semi-transparent) = ornitho + osis

Formed from the combining form meaning 'bird' (recognizable via 'ornithology') plus the medical suffix '-osis' (disease), but '-osis' is specialized and may not be familiar to all learners.

Etymology

The word ornithosis comes from Greek parts ornitho- 'bird' and -osis 'disease' or 'condition', and the same ornitho- appears in ornithology, the study of birds. So ornithosis is a disease people can catch from birds.