Case Report of Leimier's syndrome associated with Fusobacterium
nucleatum infection without internal Jugular venous thrombus
Abstract
Fusobacterium nucleatum is an anaerobe that is commensal to the human
oral cavity. It is usually a component of periodontal plaque that is
emerging as a pathogen and quickly attracting attention of the medical
and research communities. It has been even discovered in bronchoalveolar
lavage of some patients with lung cancer. 24, 25 Lemierre’s syndrome
(LS) is characterized as septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular
vein, which usually begins with oropharyngeal infection that worsens and
lead to inflammation of the wall of the jugular vein9 . This is the
hallmark of the disease. However, in this case, there was no
thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. There is one other case
presentation where it was diagnosed without the internal jugular vein
involvement.22. Most sequelae involve infected thrombus of the vein,
soft tissue inflammation, persistent bacteremia, and septic emboli,
often leading to frequent metastatic infections14,3. Interestingly
enough, in the age of SARS-CoV-2, LS has also been mistaken for
multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)23. We present a
previously healthy 20-year-old female college student, who tested
positive to COVID-19 capsid antibody, transferred from her local
hospital to Bristol Meyer’s Squib Children’s hospital (BMSCH) for
suspected LS with loculated infected pleural effusions and necrotizing
pneumonia with lung abscess secondary to Fusobacterium nucleatum,
systemic and emphysematous osteomyelitis possibly secondary to septic
emboli, thrombocytopenia, and palatine tonsil and thyroid abscess.