Article Text
Abstract
A young previously healthy patient presented with sepsis and cavitating pneumonia. Campylobacter rectus was isolated from blood cultures and subsequent CT neck showed an internal jugular vein thrombosis. Treatment was with antibiotics, anticoagulation and supportive management. Lemierre’s syndrome is an infectious thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. Although a rare diagnosis since the use of penicillin for treatment of acute pharyngitis, it is being reported with increasing frequency. Usually associated with Fusobacterium spp, we believe that this is the first reported case of Lemierre’s caused by C. rectus—an anaerobic member of the human oral cavity flora, usually associated with localised periodontal disease. The bacillus was isolated from blood during the acute presentation.
- infectious diseases
- pneumonia (infectious disease)
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Footnotes
Contributors Each of the authors contributed to the writing and editing of this original case report. IIJ: planned, conducted the literature review and wrote this case report. AC: assisted with design and conception, provided the technical microbiology aspects of the case report. SM-J: assisted with the conception and edited and reviewed the final draft. SL: assisted with the overall design and conception, oversaw the editing and supervised the literature review.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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