title: Pulmonary embolism and internal jugular vein thrombosis as evocative clues of Lemierre's syndrome: A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Lemierre's syndrome (LS) is an uncommon condition with oropharyngeal infections, internal jugular vein thrombosis, and systemic metastatic septic embolization as the main features. Fusobacterium species, a group of strictly anaerobic Gram negative rod shaped bacteria, are advocated to be the main pathogen involved. We report a case of LS complicated by pulmonary embolism and pulmonary septic emboli that mimicked a neoplastic lung condition. A Medline search revealed 173 case reports of LS associated with internal jugular vein thrombosis that documented the type of microorganism. Data confirmed high prevalence in young males with Gram negative infections (83.2%). Pulmonary embolism was reported in 8.7% of cases mainly described in subjects with Gram positive infections (OR = 9.786; 95%CI: 2.577-37.168,P= 0.001), independently of age and gender. Only four fatal cases were reported. LS is an uncommon condition that could be complicated by pulmonary embolism, especially in subjects with Gram positive infections.
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Giorgi
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fabbian
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Molino
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Misurati
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Ruana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tiseo
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boari
authors.affiliation: Alfredo De Giorgi, Fabio Fabbian, Christian Molino, Elisa Misurati, Ruana Tiseo, Claudia Parisi, Benedetta Boari, Roberto Manfredini, Department of Medical Sciences, Clinica Medica Unit, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manfredini
keywords: Fusobacterium species; Internal jugular vein thrombosis; Lemierre’s syndrome; Pulmonary embolism; Systemic septic embolization