Unmasking Bartonella henselae infection in the shadows of long COVID thanks to clinical metagenomics.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Single clinical case report
PubMed 38472519 · doi:10.1007/s10096-024-04801-2
What was done
A case report was conducted on a 26-year-old woman with persistent symptoms and axillary adenopathy lasting 5 months following mild COVID-19. Pathological examination, 16S rRNA PCR, and clinical metagenomic analysis were performed on an adenopathy biopsy.
What was found
Clinical metagenomic analysis identified Bartonella henselae DNA and RNA in the lymph node biopsy. Treatment with clarithromycin resulted in symptom improvement. The abstract reports no other quantitative metrics or values.
Why it matters
It highlights that treatable chronic infections such as bartonellosis can present under the guise of long COVID, demonstrating the diagnostic utility of metagenomic testing in patients with persistent post-viral adenopathy.
Limits
Findings are limited to a single patient (n=1), preventing generalization regarding diagnostic yield or therapeutic efficacy. Specific laboratory thresholds, exposure history details, and duration of follow-up were not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
- context Bartonella infection induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) elevation in long COVID patients.