Association of pathogenic determinants of Fusobacterium necrophorum with bacteremia, and Lemierre's syndrome.

Fusobacterium necrophorum is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium responsible for localized infections of the oropharynx that can evolve into bacteremia and/or septic thrombophlebitis of the jugular vein or peritonsillar vein, called Lemierre's syndrome. To identify microbial genetic determinants associated with the severity of this life-threatening disease, 70 F. necrophorum strains were collected and grouped into two categories according to the clinical presentation: (i) localized infection, (ii) bacteremia with/without Lemierre's syndrome. Comparative genomic analyses revealed two clades with distinct genetic content, one clade being significantly enriched with isolates from subjects with bacteremia. To identify genetic determinants contributing to F. necrophorum pathogenicity, genomic islands and virulence factor orthogroups (OVFs) were predicted. The presence/absence profiles of OVFs did not group isolates according to their clinical category, but rather according to their phylogeny. However, a variant of lktA, a key virulence factor, with a frameshift deletion that results in two open reading frames, was associated with bacteremia. Moreover, a genome-wide association study identified three orthogroups associated with bacteremic strains: (i) cas8a1, (ii) a sodium/solute symporter, and (iii) a POP1 domain-containing protein. Further studies must be performed to assess the functional impact of lktA mutation and of these orthogroups on the physiopathological mechanisms of F. necrophorum infections.

Lemierre's syndrome complicating multiple organ failure caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. funduliforme F1260: Case report and review.

We described a case of a 24-year-old man with multiple organ failure caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. funduliforme F1260. This is the first described case of Lemierre's syndrome with multiple organ failure due to F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme F1260 in an adult in China. Our study highlights that there may be a risk of misdiagnosis based solely on typical manifestations of internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis, metastatic lesions, and F. necrophorum isolated from blood cultures or normally sterile sites. Clinicians should be cognizant of the potential utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in facilitating early pathogen detection in severe infections, thus enabling timely and appropriate administration of antibiotics to reduce mortality rates and improve prognosis.

Lung abscess as a complication of Lemierre Syndrome in adolescents: a single center case reports and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Fusobacterium necrophorum is an anaerobic, gram-negative, non-motile, filamentous, non-spore forming bacillus found in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and female genital tract, responsible of a rare disease named Lemierre Syndrome, characterized by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein, which mainly affects previously healthy adolescents and young adults; some risk factors are reported, as smoking or primary viral or bacterial infection leading to the disruption of mucosa. The syndrome originates commonly from an upper respiratory infection such as pharyngotonsillitis, acute otitis media, cervical lymphadenitis, sinusitis, or odontogenic abscess, and may result in multiorgan metastasis, more frequently leading to pulmonary complications, especially lung abscesses. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe two cases of adolescents with atypical Lemierre Syndrome evaluated in a tertiary care center, one with a confirmed infection by Fusobacterium necrophorum and one with a presumptive diagnosis based on clinical features, who developed lung abscesses needing a prolonged antibiotic course and hospitalization. Of interest, both were user of electronic cigarette, configuring a possible new risk factor. The proper diagnosis of Lemierre Syndrome is often difficult to establish, so a high degree of suspicion is needed, especially in the case of lung abscesses in otherwise healthy adolescents. CONCLUSION: The current study will contribute to providing insight into Lemierre Syndrome clinical presentation and management in adolescents, promoting awareness for a rare but potentially fatal disease. Moreover, it suggests a possible relationship between Lemierre syndrome and the use of electronic cigarette, that should be investigated by future studies.

Common laboratory tests and their correlation with the clinical presentation and prognosis of Lemierre syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Lemierre syndrome is a thromboembolic complication following an acute bacterial infection of the head/neck area, often due to anaerobes. Data on the prognostic role of laboratory parameters is lacking. METHODS: We analyzed individual-patient level data from a multinational cohort of patients with Lemierre-syndrome. Patients had an infection in the head/neck area, and contiguous vein thrombosis or septic embolism, irrespective of the causal pathogen. We studied the patterns of white blood cell count, platelet count, and C-reactive protein concentration investigating their association with baseline characteristics and in-hospital clinical outcomes (septic embolism, major bleeding, all-cause death). RESULTS: A total of 447 (63%) patients had complete data for analysis. White blood cells were elevated across all subgroups (median 17 × 103/µL; Q1-Q3:12-21). Median platelet count was 61 × 103/µL (Q1-Q3:30-108) with decreasing levels with increasing age. Males, patients with renal failure or cardiopulmonary impairment, and those with typical Lemierre syndrome (tonsillitis, septic thromboembolism, positivity for Fusobacterium spp.) had the lowest platelet count. Median C-reactive protein was 122 (Q1-Q3:27-248) mg/L with higher values in patients who also had more severe thrombocytopenia. The overall risk of complications was similar across subgroups of patients stratified according to white blood cell and C-reactive protein levels. Patients in the lowest third of platelet count (<42 × 103/µL) had the highest rate of complications (26%), as opposed to those in the highest third (11%), notably septic embolic events. CONCLUSIONS: Common laboratory tests correlate with the clinical presentation of Lemierre syndrome. However, extreme values did not appear to be prognostically relevant for in-hospital complications and potentially able to improve clinical management.

Lemierre's syndrome-A diagnostic challenge.

In this case report, we present a young man with Lemierre's syndrome, which is a potentially fatal condition most commonly caused by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum. When Lemierre's syndrome is suspected, it is important to consider X-ray, ultrasound, and CT scan, as they can bring tremendous diagnostic value.

Complex Lemierre syndrome with multisystemic abscesses.

We present here the challenging case of severe Lemierre syndrome in a healthy woman in her late twenties, whose clinical presentation was characterised by lung abscesses and disseminated systemic abscesses in the brain, the abdomen and the soft-tissues, as a likely consequence of a patent foramen ovale. Blood cultures were positive for Fusobacterium necrophorum and a right lingual vein thrombosis was detected at a late stage when the patient developed a septic shock. Initial antimicrobial therapy with metronidazole and ceftriaxone was modified to meropenem due to progressive worsening. The patient underwent laparoscopy and neurosurgical drainage of a cerebral abscess. She spent many days in the intensive care unit and recovered fully after 6 weeks on meropenem therapy. Although considered rare, the incidence of Lemierre syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, is increasing. The clinician should promptly recognise and treat it while being aware of its potential atypical presentations.

Atypical involvement of the thyro-linguo-facial vein in Lemierre syndrome.

Fusobacterium necrophorum is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that can lead to severe infection in young patients even without immunodeficiency. Due to the length of time for isolation and speciation of this Gram-negative bacillus (typically 5-8 days), and its potential mortality, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy should be started without delay. With a cervical thrombosis, even on an unusual site and with a standard condition such as tonsillitis, Lemierre syndrome should be considered. We report a case of Lemierre syndrome in a previously healthy young woman.

Fusobacterium necrophorum oral infections - A need for guidance.

F. necrophorum, a gram-negative obligate anaerobe, causes pharyngotonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess and the Lemierre Syndrome as well as other significant infections. Clinical information on this bacterium has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, yet no standard guidance exists for treating these infections. While data support F. necrophorum as a cause of pharyngotonsillitis, no consensus exists on the clinical importance of these findings especially in the 15-30 age group. Similarly, recent data find this bacterium the most frequent and most likely to recur in peritonsillar abscess for that age group. Should this impact how we treat these patients? Finally, we have no studies of either antibiotics or anticoagulation for the Lemierre Syndrome. Thus, each physician making the diagnosis of the Lemierre Syndrome chooses antibiotics (and their duration) and whether or not to anticoagulate without guidance. Infectious disease specialists and hospitalists would benefit from consensus expert opinions based on reviewing data on these infections.

Lemierre's syndrome involving milleri group streptococci: further insight into age and aetiology.

Lemierre's syndrome (LS) is a suppurative thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein secondary to otorhinolaryngologic infection. It is classically associated with the Gram-negative anaerobe Fusobacterium necrophorum (FN) and is thought to be a disease of young people. Here, we describe the case of a 56-year-old woman with LS involving milleri group streptococci (MGS), which has been reported only 13 times since it was first observed in 2003. Subgroup analysis of all published cases of LS involving MGS demonstrated these patients were significantly older than those involving FN (median age 49 years versus 18 years, p = 0.007, IQR 36-58 years), although this finding is limited by publication bias. This report clarifies a 2014 hypothesis regarding the relationship between age and aetiology in this rare disease. While FN remains the most common cause of LS overall, empiric antibiotic therapy should also cover oral streptococci such as MGS, even in younger adults.

A 4-year-old boy with Lemierre's syndrome caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.

A pre-school aged boy presented to the Pediatric Emergency Department with a high grade fever and neck pain and stiffness. Blood culture was positive for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and Doppler ultrasound of the neck revealed partial thrombosis of the left internal jugular vein. He was diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome (LS) and treated with a prolonged course of antibiotics and anticoagulation. After discharge home, he was followed in the outpatient clinics and had a full recovery. This case report will highlight the presentation of LS and will briefly review the microbiology of this condition.

[Gynecological Lemierre's syndrome: A case report and literature review]. / Syndrome de Lemierre inversé : à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Lemierre's syndrome is defined as an oropharyngeal infection due to Fusobacterium necrophorum, associated with septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. The uncommon pelvic variant of the syndrome is a rare condition, poorly described in literature. CASE REPORT: We report a case of gynecological Lemierre's syndrome in a 19-year-old woman after a first sexual intercourse, who presented acute respiratory failure, left internal iliac vein thrombosis with pulmonary embolism, in the setting of salpingitis and F. necrophorum bacteriemia. CONCLUSION: Gynecological Lemierre's syndrome is a rare and unrecognized condition, which could be lethal. Early recognition of the disorder enables initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy for 4 to 6 weeks, and discussion of anticoagulant therapy which indications are not yet well defined.

Lemierre's syndrome: A forgotten and re-emerging infection.

Lemierre's syndrome, also known as post-anginal septicemia or necrobacillosis, is characterized by bacteremia, internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis, and metastatic septic emboli secondary to acute pharyngeal infections. Modern physicians have "forgotten" this disease. The most common causative agent of Lemierre's syndrome is Fusobacterium necrophorum, followed by Fusobacterium nucleatum and anaerobic bacteria such as streptococci, staphylococci, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The causative focus mostly originated from pharyngitis or tonsillitis, accounting for over 85% of the cases of Lemierre's syndrome. Pneumonia or pleural empyema is the most common metastatic infection in Lemierre's syndrome. Antimicrobial therapy should be prescribed for 3-6 weeks. The treatment regimens include metronidazole and ß-lactam antibiotics. In recent years, the antibiotic stewardship program has resulted in decreased antibiotic prescription for upper respiratory tract infections. The incidence of Lemierre's syndrome has increased over the past decade. F. necrophorum is an underestimated cause of acute pharyngitis or tonsillitis. A high index of suspicion is required for the differential diagnosis of acute tonsillopharyngitis with persistent neck pain and septic syndrome.

A unique case of Lemierre's syndrome status post blunt cervical trauma.

BACKGROUND: Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal condition. The course is characterized by acute tonsillopharyngitis, bacteremia, internal jugular vein thrombosis, and septic embolization. There have been some cases secondary to penetrating trauma to the neck. Literature review has yielded no cases secondary to blunt neck trauma in the absence of oropharyngeal injury. We aim to shed light on this unique cause of Lemierre's syndrome, so as to raise the index of suspicion for clinicians working up patients with blunt cervical trauma. METHODS: We present a case of a 25-year-old male restrained driver who presented with left neck and shoulder pain with a superficial abrasion to the left neck from the seatbelt who was discharged same day by the Emergency Room physicians. He returned to the Emergency Department two days later with abdominal pain. As a part of his repeat evaluation, a set of blood cultures were sent and was sent home that day. The patient was called back to the hospital one day later as preliminary blood cultures were positive for Gram positive cocci and Gram negative anaerobes. Computerized tomography scan of the neck revealed extensive occlusive left internal jugular vein thrombosis and fluid collections concerning for abscesses, concerning for septic thrombophlebitis. The patient continued to decompensate, developing severe sepsis complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation. RESULTS: The patient underwent a left neck exploration with en bloc resection of the left internal jugular vein, drainage of abscesses deep to the sternocleidomastoid, and washout/debridement of necrotic tissue. Direct laryngoscopy at the time of surgery revealed no injury to the aerodigestive tract. Wound cultures were consistent with blood cultures and grew Fusobacterium necrophorum, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. The patient underwent two subsequent operative wound explorations without any evidence of residual infection. The patient was discharged home on postoperative day 13 on a course of antibiotics and aspirin. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the importance of diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome after an unconventional inciting event (blunt cervical trauma) and appropriate treatment.

Acometimento pulmonar e articular secundário à síndrome de Lemierre: relato de caso e revisão de literatura / Pulmonary and joint involvement secondary to Lemierre syndrome: case report and literature review

A síndrome de Lemierre caracteriza-se por uma rara entidade que gera tromboflebite da veia jugular interna e embolismo séptico em história da infecção recente da orofaringe, além de sinais radiológicos e isolamento de patógenos anaeróbicos, principalmente Fusobacterium necrophorum. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente do sexo feminino, 13 anos de idade, com histórico de carcinoma de nasofaringe associado ao vírus Epstein-Barr (estadiamento T4N2M0), submetida a procedimentos cirúrgicos e quimiorradioterapia. Iniciou com queixa de mialgia intensa, diplopia, lesões infectadas em membros e choque séptico. Por meio de exames de ultrassonografia cervical com Doppler colorido e tomografia computadorizada de pescoço com contraste endovenoso, foram identificados trombos intraluminais na veia jugular interna, além de trombos sépticos pulmonares, por meio da tomografia computadorizada de tórax. Posteriormente, ainda evoluiu com artrite piogênica coxofemoral esquerda. Foi isolada, por hemocultura, a bactéria Klebsiella pneumoniae Carpemenase, e o tratamento se deu pela associação entre vancomicina, amicacina, meropenem, metronidazol e anfotericina B. Conclui-se que, após o diagnóstico de SL e, embora com múltiplas complicações e diagnóstico tardio, a paciente encontra-se bem e assintomática, além do relato comprovar a dificuldade diagnóstica e de seu tratamento

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare condition that leads to thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and septic embolism following recent oropharyngeal infection, being characterized by radiological signs and isolation of anaerobic pathogens, especially Fusobacterium necrophorum. We report the case of a 13-year-old female patient with history of nasopharyngeal carcinoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus (T4N2M0 staging), who underwent surgical procedures and chemoradiotherapy. Her initial complaint was severe myalgia, diplopia, infected limb injuries, and septic shock. Cervical color Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography scan of the neck with intravenous contrast showed intraluminal thrombi in the internal jugular vein, and chest computed tomography showed pulmonary septic thrombi. Subsequently, she progressed with left coxofemoral pyogenic arthritis. The bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae Carpemenase was isolated in blood culture, and the patient was treated with the association of vancomycin, amikacin, meropenem, metronidazole, and amphotericin B. It is concluded that, despite the multiple complications and late diagnosis, the patient is well and asymptomatic after the diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome; in addition, the report proves the difficulty of diagnosis and treatme

Lemierre's Syndrome Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Lemierre's syndrome is an uncommon and potentially fatal complication of oropharyngeal and facial infections. It involves an associated septic thrombophlebitis, bacteremia, and septic emboli. Traditionally, compromise of the internal jugular vein has been described in conjunction with an infection caused by anaerobes, especially, Fusobacterium necrophorum. In recent years, however, variant forms have been appearing, including other vessel compromise and other etiologic agents. We present the case of Lemierre's syndrome in a 31-year-old male with facial vein thrombosis, septic emboli to the lungs, and bacteremia caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We hope that this case will raise awareness about variant presentations and promote a timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of this potentially fatal infection.

Atypical presentation of Lemierre's syndrome: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: The classic Lemierre's syndrome refers to a septic thrombosis of the internal jugular vein, usually caused by a Fusobacterium necrophorum infection starting in the oral cavity, and typically complicated by pulmonary emboli. However, unusual forms of the disorder have been rarely reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe an unusual case of a previously healthy 58-year-old male with Lemierre's syndrome, manifesting with lumbar pain and fever. A thrombosis of the iliac veins and abscesses in the right iliac and the left psoas muscles was diagnosed by a computed tomography scan, together with a right lung pneumonia complicated by pleural effusion and an L4-L5 spondylodiscitis. Blood culture and pus drainage were positive for Fusobacterium nucleatum and an atypical Lemierre's syndrome was suspected. The patient was treated with anticoagulant therapy for 12 weeks and intravenous antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks with a good evolution and resolution of the thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the thrombogenic and thromboembolic tendency of Fusobacterium nucleatum and its potential invasiveness, regardless of the site of primary infection. The concept of an atypical Lemierre's syndrome is redefined here to take into consideration non-cervical sites.