Hemoptysis. Is it caused by Pasteurella multocida infection or congenital pulmonary artery anomalies?

Abstract

Pasteurella multocida colonizes the oropharynx of various domestic and wild animals. In humans, respiratory tract P. multocida infection is the second most frequent localization and usually manifests as pneumonia. Unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a very rare congenital anomaly. Adult patients with UAPA are usually asymptomatic or their symptoms are nonspecific. We report a female patient with hemoptysis admitted to our clinic where we isolated P. multocida in sputum. The organism was also isolated from nasopharyngeal swab of her dog. During hospitalization, she was also diagnosed with UAPA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Respiratory P. multocida infection develops more commonly through contact with animal secretions. It occurs most often in immunocompromised patients and in individuals with comorbidities. Hemoptysis very rarely follows P. multocida infection while it is common in cases of UAPA due to existing developed collateral circulation especially in older patients. Ceased hemoptysis after adequate treatment and no recurrence of it over six years of following up the patient led us to conclude that the cause of hemoptysis was P. multocida infection and not UAPA which was more likely to be the case.