Lemierre's disease: postanginal bacteremia and pulmonary involvement caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum.
The combination of acute pharyngotonsillitis, neck pain, fever, and pulmonary septic emboli caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum in a healthy young person is extremely rare. The entity was described by Lemierre in 1936 as a typical syndrome easy to recognize and diagnose exclusively on clinical grounds. A case of Lemierre's disease is reported, and 10 other cases found in the medical literature are reviewed.
Moreno
S
S
Clinical Microbiology Service, Hospital General Gregorio Marañón, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
García Altozano
J
J
Pinilla
B
B
López
J C
JC
de Quirós
B
B
Ortega
A
A
Bouza
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D005674:Fusobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005675:Fusobacterium necrophorum; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013577:Syndrome; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography