A case of mental disorder caused by feline Rickettsial encephalitis was diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing
10.3760/cma.j.cn114452-20240904-00490
- VernacularTitle:宏基因组二代测序诊断分析猫立克次体脑炎所致精神障碍1例
- Author:
Sisi WANG
1
;
Xin LI
;
Xudong TANG
;
Xiaofang DING
;
Xiaobing XIE
;
Guoying ZOU
Author Information
1. 湖南省第二人民医院（湖南省脑科医院）检验医学科，长沙 410007
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Meningoencephalitis;
Rickettsia infections;
Mental disorders;
Genomics
- From:
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine
2025;48(6):754-757
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
A 36-year-old male presented to the Department of Neurosurgery of the Second People′s Hospital of Hunan Province on February 12, 2024, due to "10 days of aggravated paroxysmal headache and 1 day of mental abnormality". Ten days ago, after catching a cold, the patient developed persistent low fever and paroxysmal headache. On February 12, 2024, acuted mental and behavioral abnormalities developed, including slow response, self-talk, defecation and urination, no sense of shame and other mental and behavioral abnormalities. On February 22nd, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in cerebrospinal fluid confirmed feline rickettsia infection. One week after doxycycline anti-rickettsia treatment, cerebrospinal fluid mNGS results indicated that the etiology turned negative, and the clinical symptoms improved. Mental disorders caused by rickettsial encephalitis in cats are rare but clinically significant. This case highlights the diagnostic value of mNGS in critical and difficult cases, and supports its integration with traditional diagnostic techniques to achieve precision medicine.
