Fever, Sore Throat, and Abdominal Pain – Connecting the Dots to a ‘Forgotten’ Disease: A Case Report of Atypical Lemierre’s Syndrome

Abstract

Lemierre’s syndrome (LS) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition resulting from oropharyngeal infections. It is characterised by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and disseminated metastatic abscesses. However, atypical presentations with unusual sites of thrombosis and spread have been reported. The authors present a case of LS with an atypical presentation in a previously healthy 17-year-old male. This case highlights the need for a high level of suspicion, and comprehensive investigation in cases of unexplained sepsis following oropharyngeal infections, as LS can have atypical presentations and potentially life-threatening complications. The traditional definition of LS may need to be re-evaluated in light of such atypical manifestations.