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Lemierre syndrome
Lemierre syndrome is one of the rare diseases
This is an infectious disease affecting the oropharyngeal area
Most common in young adults and immunocompetent adolescents
Most potentially a lethal condition
Incidence
How common is Lemierre syndrome
Approximately affects 0.6-2.1 per million
The incidence of Lemierre syndrome has significantly dropped after the advent of antibiotics.
Males are affected than females
Almost more than 65% of patients fall between the range of 16-26 years.
Synonyms of Lemierre syndrome
- Lemierre postanginal sepsis
- Postanginal sepsis secondary to orophyngeal infection
- Septic phlebitis of the internal jugular vein
- Postanginal septicemia
What causes Lemierre syndrome
Causative agent is Fusobacterium necrophorum
Features of Lemierre syndrome
This condition is characterized by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein
This thrombophlebitis leads to septic, usually pulmonary, embolism, associated with ENT (ear, nose, and throat) infection
Symptoms of Lemierre syndrome
This condition usually manifests with the below symptoms
- Fever
- Neck pain and swelling
- Trismus
- Tonsillopharyngitis
- Pain behind the angle of jaw
This condition affects almost all the organs but the most commonly infected organs are the lungs
Diagnostic arthrocentesis may be required in around 14% to 30% probably because of symptoms of septic arthritis
Bacteremia and distal infective thromboembolism are common
Complications of Lemierre syndrome
Meningitis has also been shown to complicate up to 3% of cases
