Acute Q fever pneumonia diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing

Bin Liu; Peng Huang; Yanchao Liang; Shuangbo Liu; Fangwei Chen; Xiping Luo; Tengjuan Xu; Bo Xie

doi:10.3855/jidc.18314

Acute Q fever pneumonia diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing

Authors

Bin Liu Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0665-0376
Peng Huang Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Yanchao Liang Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Shuangbo Liu Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Fangwei Chen Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Xiping Luo Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Tengjuan Xu Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
Bo Xie Department of Medical Administration, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.18314

Keywords:

Q fever, pneumonia, Coxiella burnetiid, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, mNGS, diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: Q fever, a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), presents diagnostic challenges due to its clinical and radiological nonspecificity, which often mimics community-acquired pneumonia, coupled with the limitations of traditional diagnostic methods. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has become an indispensable tool in clinical diagnostics for its high-throughput pathogen identification capabilities. Herein, we detail a case of acute Q fever pneumonia diagnosed with mNGS.

Case presentation: The patient exhibited symptoms of fever, cough, expectoration, and diarrhea for three days, with the pathogen undetected in initial laboratory assessments. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were conducted, leading to the identification of C. burnetii in the lavage fluid via mNGS. Consequently, the patient was promptly initiated on a treatment regimen of 100 mg doxycycline, administered orally every 12 hours.

Results: Post-treatment, the patient's temperature normalized, and a full recovery was observed. The follow-up chest CT scan revealed complete resolution of the right lower lobe consolidation.

Conclusions: The clinical presentation of Q fever pneumonia lacks specificity, making diagnosis based solely on symptoms and imaging challenging. mNGS offers a superior alternative for identifying elusive or rarely cultured pathogens.

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Published

2024-05-30

How to Cite

Liu B, Huang P, Liang Y, Liu S, Chen F, Luo X, Xu T, Xie B (2024) Acute Q fever pneumonia diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing. J Infect Dev Ctries 18:834–838. doi: 10.3855/jidc.18314

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Issue

Vol. 18 No. 05: May 2024

Section

Case Reports

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