[Lemierre syndrome: unusual, but still possible].

Abstract

Lemierre syndrome is a rare disease, which was life-threatening before the antibiotics era. We report here two cases with favorable outcome. Clinical features are stereotypic: tonsillis, cervical pain revealing deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary septic metastasis. The most frequent causal germ on blood cultures is Fusobacterium necrophorum but other anaerobial bacteries can be found. Cervical Doppler-ultrasonography, and thoracic tomodensitometry are useful. Medical treatment is antibiotic therapy and anticoagulation.