Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report
Abstract Background Legionella pneumophila is an uncommon pathogen causing community-acquired atypical pneumonia. Acinetobacter baumannii is a major pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired pneumonia, but it rarely causes serious infections in a community setting. Without prompt and appropriate tr...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Pulmonary Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-025-03481-8 |
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| author | Xiaoming Yang Zhongda Liu Xiaojing Liu Quan Li Hui Huang Yibo Wei Tao Sun |
| author_facet | Xiaoming Yang Zhongda Liu Xiaojing Liu Quan Li Hui Huang Yibo Wei Tao Sun |
| author_sort | Xiaoming Yang |
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| description | Abstract Background Legionella pneumophila is an uncommon pathogen causing community-acquired atypical pneumonia. Acinetobacter baumannii is a major pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired pneumonia, but it rarely causes serious infections in a community setting. Without prompt and appropriate treatments, infection from either of these two pathogens can cause a high mortality rate. Concurrent infection from both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii can cause serious outcomes, but it has rarely been reported previously. Case presentation A 45-year-old male presented to our hospital with a productive cough and fever after staying in a local hotel. His chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral lower-lobe infiltration and left pleural effusion. Empirical antibiotics, including piperacillin-tazobactam, levofloxacin, meropenem, and doxycycline, were administered to him to treat community-acquired pneumonia. However, his condition deteriorated very rapidly, and he required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for respiratory support. Finally, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of his bronchoalveolar lavage fluid identified L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. The sputum culture demonstrated multidrug-resistant A. baumannii. He was diagnosed with pneumonia by concurrent infections from both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. After careful consideration of the antibiotic susceptibility results and the antibacterial mechanism of each antibiotic, we switched the antibiotics to omadacycline and cefoperazone/sulbactam. His clinical symptoms gradually subsided. The repeat chest CT image showed no infiltration or pleural effusion. Conclusions Community-acquired pneumonia can be caused by concurrent infections of both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. Close clinical monitoring, early pathogen detection and antibiotic susceptability tests, and appropriate antibiotic regimen adjustments should be applied to these patients who failed initial antibiotic treatments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8b667992615b491fab93900e8ad65036 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2466 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Pulmonary Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-8b667992615b491fab93900e8ad650362025-01-26T12:13:02ZengBMCBMC Pulmonary Medicine1471-24662025-01-012511710.1186/s12890-025-03481-8Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case reportXiaoming Yang0Zhongda Liu1Xiaojing Liu2Quan Li3Hui Huang4Yibo Wei5Tao Sun6Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese MedicineAbstract Background Legionella pneumophila is an uncommon pathogen causing community-acquired atypical pneumonia. Acinetobacter baumannii is a major pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired pneumonia, but it rarely causes serious infections in a community setting. Without prompt and appropriate treatments, infection from either of these two pathogens can cause a high mortality rate. Concurrent infection from both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii can cause serious outcomes, but it has rarely been reported previously. Case presentation A 45-year-old male presented to our hospital with a productive cough and fever after staying in a local hotel. His chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral lower-lobe infiltration and left pleural effusion. Empirical antibiotics, including piperacillin-tazobactam, levofloxacin, meropenem, and doxycycline, were administered to him to treat community-acquired pneumonia. However, his condition deteriorated very rapidly, and he required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for respiratory support. Finally, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of his bronchoalveolar lavage fluid identified L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. The sputum culture demonstrated multidrug-resistant A. baumannii. He was diagnosed with pneumonia by concurrent infections from both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. After careful consideration of the antibiotic susceptibility results and the antibacterial mechanism of each antibiotic, we switched the antibiotics to omadacycline and cefoperazone/sulbactam. His clinical symptoms gradually subsided. The repeat chest CT image showed no infiltration or pleural effusion. Conclusions Community-acquired pneumonia can be caused by concurrent infections of both L. pneumophila and A. baumannii. Close clinical monitoring, early pathogen detection and antibiotic susceptability tests, and appropriate antibiotic regimen adjustments should be applied to these patients who failed initial antibiotic treatments.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-025-03481-8Legionella pneumophilaAcinetobacter baumanniiPneumoniaMetagenomic next-generation sequencingCase report |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoming Yang Zhongda Liu Xiaojing Liu Quan Li Hui Huang Yibo Wei Tao Sun Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report BMC Pulmonary Medicine Legionella pneumophila Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia Metagenomic next-generation sequencing Case report |
| title | Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report |
| title_full | Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report |
| title_short | Severe pneumonia due to concurrent Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii infections: a case report |
| title_sort | severe pneumonia due to concurrent legionella pneumophila and acinetobacter baumannii infections a case report |
| topic | Legionella pneumophila Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia Metagenomic next-generation sequencing Case report |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-025-03481-8 |
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