Dyspnea with multiple bilateral lung opacities on CT scan

Abstract

A 58-year-old man was admitted with a typical presentation of acute left heart failure. However, the patient showed a partial response to the anti-heart failure therapy. Following admission, a continuous fever was monitored, and a CT scan revealed that multiple opacities on bilateral lungs had progressed. Bronchoscopy was performed, and Coxiella burnetii was detected by Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF), and transbronchial lung biopsy showed organizing pneumonia. Considering that the patient had a history of rabbit breeding and delivery, with some newborn rabbits dying before he became ill, organizing pneumonia secondary to Q fever pneumonia was diagnosed. Anti-Q fever treatment was initiated and the patient's temperature returned to normal. Glucocorticoid was administered after adequate treatment for Q fever. The patient's symptom of dyspnea relieved soon and opacities on CT scan were absorbed remarkably. The final diagnosis was organizing pneumonia secondary to Q fever pneumonia accompanied with left heart failure.