A case of Lemierre's syndrome in association with liver abscess without any other metastatic lesions

Abstract

Lemierre's syndrome (LS) is characterized by pharyngitis followed by septicemia, internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis, and metastatic embolization in general. LS is commonly caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. Herein, we present a case of LS with liver abscesses that presented as a sole metastatic lesion. We were not able to diagnose LS until Fusobacterium necrophorum was isolated due to the lack of the common involvement. Doripenem was effective against the pathologic features including the liver abscesses. LS should be taken into consideration when clinicians find liver abscesses following pharyngitis even when the common complications of LS are not detected. © 2012 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.