Lemierre's Syndrome

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GARD: ¹⁹ Lemierre syndrome is a rare and potentially severe complication of bacterial infections that usually affects previously-healthy adolescents and young adults. It most commonly develops in association with a bacterial throat infection, but it may develop in association with an infection involving the ears, salivary glands (parotitis), sinuses, or teeth; or in association with an Epstein-Barr infection. The bacteria typically responsible for infection in Lemierre syndrome is Fusobacterium necrophorum, although a variety of bacteria can be responsible. In people with Lemierre syndrome, the initial infection spreads into tissues and deep spaces within the neck, leading to the formation of an infected blot clot (septic thrombophlebitis), sometimes made up of pus, in the internal jugular vein (the blood vessel that carries blood away from the brain, face, and neck). The infected clot then circulates in the blood (septicemia), resulting in the infection also spreading to the lungs (most commonly), skeletal system, and/or other parts of the body such as the spleen, liver, kidney, heart, or brain. This can lead to severe complications such as respiratory distress syndrome due to pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lung), damage to other affected organs, and/or septic shock (in about 7% of cases). Lemierre syndrome may be diagnosed based on signs and symptoms, various blood tests, and imaging studies.

MalaCards based summary: Lemierre's Syndrome, also known as lemierre syndrome, is related to toxic shock syndrome and thrombophlebitis. An important gene associated with Lemierre's Syndrome is HOTAIR (HOX Transcript Antisense RNA), and among its related pathways/superpathways are Regulation of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) transport and uptake by Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (IGFBPs) and Defects of contact activation system (CAS) and kallikrein/kinin system (KKS). The drugs Benzydamine and Pharmaceutical Solutions have been mentioned in the context of this disorder. Affiliated tissues include spleen, lung and brain.

Orphanet: ⁵⁸ Lemierre syndrome is a rare, potentially lethal, oropharyngeal infectious disease occurring in immunocompetent adolescents and young adults that is mainly due to Fusobacterium necrophorum and that is characterized by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein that leads to septic, usually pulmonary, embolism, associated with ENT (ear, nose, and throat) infection that manifests with fever, neck pain, and tonsillopharyngitis.

Disease Ontology: ¹¹ A commensal bacterial infectious disease that is characterized by systemic sepsis, ulcerative or necrotic lesions and multisystem abscesses caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. The disease often first presents as a severe tonsillitis or pharyngitis with high-grade fever and chills together with leukocytosis, cervical pain and neck swelling.

Wikipedia: ⁷⁵ Lemierre's syndrome is infectious thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. It most often develops... more...

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