title: Isolation of Chlamydia abortus from a laboratory worker diagnosed with atypical pneumonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identifying the aetiological agent of atypical pneumonia in human can sometimes be a tedious process, especially in cases where Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella species and Chlamydia pneumoniae are ruled out. In such cases, a correct anamnesis of the patient is basic to clarify which pathogens might have produced the infection. For this reason, health professionals including veterinarians and laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pathogens should keep their doctors informed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A human case of atypical pneumonia linked to Chlamydia abortus is reported. A 47-year-old male, a veterinarian researcher into chlamydiae, developed respiratory symptoms, breathing problems and high fever. Serological analyses ruled out the involvement of several respiratory pathogens, such as M. pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Rickettsia conorii and C. pneumoniae, and Chlamydia abortus was identified as the possible aetiological agent of the infection. The isolation of C. abortus from the patient's sputum and subsequent molecular analysis confirmed the presence of this microorganism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As far as we know, although C. abortus has not been previously described as capable of causing pneumonia in humans, this is the first reported case of atypical pneumonia in which C. abortus is thought to have played an aetiological role.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0941-8441
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Caro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murcia-Belmonte
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Río
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuello
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Buendía
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus Regional de Excelencia internacional, Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salinas
keywords: Atypical pneumonia; Chlamydia abortus; Human; OEA; Zoonoses