NYMC Faculty Publications

The Forgotten Disease: Bilateral Lemierre's Disease With Mycotic Aneurysm of the Vertebral Artery

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.12659/AJCR.890449

Journal Title

The American Journal of Case Reports

First Page

230

Last Page

234

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Department

Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

PATIENT: Male, 25 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Lemierre's disease Symptoms: Back pain • fever • headache • tachycardia • tachypnoe

MEDICATION: - Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Infectious Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Rare disease.

BACKGROUND: Lemierre's disease, also known as the forgotten disease, postanginal sepsis, or necrobacillosis, was first reported in 1890 by Courmont and Cade, but it was Dr. Andre Lemierre, a professor of microbiology, who described this disease in 1936. The typical causative agent is Fusobacterium necrophorum, although other organisms may be involved. The pathogenesis of Lemierre's disease is not well understood. It is characterized by a primary oropharyngeal infection associated with septicemia, internal jugular vein thrombosis, and metastatic septic emboli.

CASE REPORT: We report a case of Lemierre's disease with bilateral internal jugular vein (IJV) thrombosis and metastatic septic emboli to the lungs and brain, associated with epidural abscess and mycotic aneurysm of the vertebral artery, which is quite rare in Lemierre's disease. This is the first report of a case of Lemierre's disease associated with mycotic aneurysm of the vertebral artery.

CONCLUSIONS: Lemierre's disease is a rare and perplexing medical entity. Clinical suspicion should be high in previously healthy young adults presenting with fever and neck pain following oropharyngeal infection. Dr. Lemierre stated that 'symptoms and signs of Lemierre's disease are so characteristic that it permits diagnosis before bacteriological examination'. The prognosis of patients with Lemierre's disease is generally good, provided prompt recognition and appropriate treatment.

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