Diagnosis of Q-fever pneumonia by tNGS of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in an elderly patient

This study explores the value of targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) in the etiological diagnosis of unexplained pneumonia in elderly patients. A 76-year-old male patient presenting with fever and cough was initially diagnosed with lobar pneumonia. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed using tNGS, which detected Coxiella burnetii (4 sequences), confirming the diagnosis. Treatment with moxifloxacin and doxycycline led to significant symptom improvement and complete resolution of pulmonary lesions on imaging. The results demonstrate that tNGS can provide rapid and accurate diagnosis of Coxiella burnetii pneumonia, offering important clinical insights.