# First reported Tannerella forsythia infection in a patient with extensive bronchiectasis: a case report

## TL;DR

A patient with bronchiectasis was infected by Tannerella forsythia, a bacterium typically linked to oral diseases, and successfully treated with antibiotics.

## Contribution

First reported case of Tannerella forsythia infection in a patient with extensive bronchiectasis and an effective treatment approach.

## Key findings

- Tannerella forsythia was detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using metagenomic next-generation sequencing.
- Treatment with Piperacillin-tazobactam and ornidazole led to a favorable clinical outcome.
- The infection was associated with symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath in a bronchiectasis patient.

## Abstract

Tannerella forsythia infection was common in oral diseases but less reported in lung diseases. This report presents a patient with bronchiectasis who was infected by Tannerella forsythia and subsequently hospitalized with symptoms including fever, progressive cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary bronchiectasis with signs of infection. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid primarily detected Tannerella forsythia. Treatment with Piperacillin-tazobactam and ornidazole resulted in a favorable outcome. This case first reported a patient with extensive bronchiectasis infected by Tannerella forsythia and provided an effective treatment.