Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing Contributes to the Diagnosis of Pneumonia Caused by Chlamydia abortus in a Male Patient: Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia abortus is generally considered as the main cause of ruminants abortion, but it rarely causes human infection resulting in abortion or pneumonia. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of male patient with pneumonia caused by Chlamydia abortus. Results of next generation sequencing (NGS) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) indicated Chlamydia abortus infection. The patient was treated with intravenous infusion of doxycycline. The clinical symptoms of this patient were ameliorated significantly, and all these improvement were indicated by laboratory parameters significantly. Shown as chest computed tomography (CT), most of the inflammation had been absorbed after doxycycline treatment. CONCLUSION: Chlamydia abortus mainly infects ruminants and occasionally humans. NGS has its own advantages of rapidity, sensitivity and specificity in detecting Chlamydia abortus. Doxycycline exhibits a great therapeutic effect on pneumonia caused by Chlamydia abortus.