Lemierre's syndrome due to community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection and presenting with orbital cellulitis: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Lemierre's syndrome is septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein leading to metastatic septic complications following an oropharyngeal infection. It is usually caused by the anaerobe, Fusobacterium necrophorum. Of late, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is increasingly being recognised as a cause of community-acquired skin and soft tissue infections. We report a rare case of Lemierre's syndrome caused by community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 16-year-old girl presented with fever of 13 days duration, painful swelling around the right eye and diplopia followed by the appearance of pulmonary infiltrates. Imaging studies confirmed the clinical suspicion of bilateral jugular venous thrombosis with septic pulmonary embolism. Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated on blood cultures. The hospital course was complicated by massive haemoptysis and pulmonary aspiration necessitating mechanical ventilation. The patient subsequently made a complete recovery. CONCLUSION: Lemierre's syndrome, although rare, is a potentially lethal but treatable complication of head and neck sepsis. Early clinical recognition of Lemierre's syndrome and appropriate antibiotic treatment can be life-saving. One should consider the possibility of community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in patients with suspected Lemierre's syndrome.