Prolonged Respiratory Failure in Chlamydia pneumoniae Pneumonia

Abstract

We describe a 65-year-old man, who had cardiomyopathy and developed acute respiratory failure requiring ventilator treatment. Acute pneumonia caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae was diagnosed based on PCR positivity of bronchoalveolar lavage. Gas exchange did not improve in response to appropriate antibiotic therapy, and the patient died.