Lemierre's syndrome presenting to the ED: rapidly fatal sepsis caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus protein A type t044.
We describe the case of a fatal septic illness in a previously healthy young man caused by community-acquired methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus of Staphylococcus protein A (spa) type t044. The patient developed a devastating Lemierre-like syndrome with extensive thrombosis of inferior vena cava and iliac veins with multiple metastatic septic emboli of the lungs. He presented to the emergency department with rapidly progressing sepsis followed by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Recognition of such virulent community-acquired strains is of great importance because they could prove to be emerging pathogens for life-threatening diseases.
Respiratory Failure Unit, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, G.H. G. Papanikolaou, Exohi, Thessaloniki, 57010, Greece. gpitsiou@yahoo.gr
Georgia
G
Pitsiou
Melina
M
Kachrimanidou
Anna
A
Papa
Ioannis
I
Kioumis
Asimina
A
Paspala
Afroditi
A
Boutou
Stamatina
S
Vlachou
Eleni
E
Tsorlini
Paraskevi
P
Argyropoulou-Pataka
D000328:Adult; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D057831:Lemierre Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus