Lemierre's Syndrome: Case Presentation of a Rare and Possibly Life-Threatening Condition

Lemierre's syndrome is, presently, a very rare condition, but a life-threatening one. The syndrome was first described in 1936 by Andre Lemierre and comprises an oropharyngeal infection (most commonly associated with anaerobic bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum), internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis and, possibly, secondary septic metastasis (common sites are lungs or brain). We describe such a rare case diagnosed at our Infectious Diseases Department in September 2019.

Automated summary

Lemierre's syndrome, first described in 1936 by Andre Lemierre, is a very rare but life-threatening condition characterized by oropharyngeal infection, internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis, and possible secondary septic metastasis. A rare case of this syndrome was diagnosed in September 2019 at our Infectious Diseases Department.