Lemierre's syndrome complicating influenza A virus infection

Abstract

We report a 24-year-old previously healthy woman with Lemierre's syndrome following influenza A virus infection. One week after influenza A was diagnosed by rapid antigen test and treated by oseltamivir, she developed multiple cavitary lung lesions, and a left internal jugular vein thrombosis. The blood culture grew Fusobacterium necrophorum. We administered ampicillin-sulbactam and unfractionated heparin to which she responded very well. Although viral infections have been related to Lemierre's syndrome, influenza virus rarely implicated. Lemierre's syndrome should be included in the differential diagnoses of rare complications of influenza virus infection.