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

Introduction: colonizes the oropharynx of various domestic and wild animals. In humans, respiratory tract 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.

Case Report: We report a female patient with hemoptysis admitted to our clinic where we isolated 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).

Discussion: Respiratory 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 infection while it is common in cases of UAPA due to existing developed collateral circulation especially in older patients.

Conclusions: 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 infection and not UAPA which was more likely to be the case.