[Lemierre syndrome: unusual, but still possible]. / Le syndrome de Lemierre: exceptionnel, mais encore possible.

ABSTRACT

Lemierre syndrome is a rare disease, which was life-threatening before the antibiotics era. We report here two cases with favorable outcome. Clinical features are stereotypic tonsillis, cervical pain revealing deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary septic metastasis. The most frequent causal germ on blood cultures is Fusobacterium necrophorum but other anaerobial bacteries can be found. Cervical Doppler-ultrasonography, and thoracic tomodensitometry are useful. Medical treatment is antibiotic therapy and anticoagulation.