1. Late presentation of 'Lemierre's syndrome': how a delay in seeking healthcare and reduced access to routine services resulted in widely disseminated Fusobacterium necrophorum infection during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
- Author
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Howley F, O'Doherty L, McEniff N, and O'Riordan R
- Subjects
- Anti-Bacterial Agents administration & dosage, Anticoagulants administration & dosage, Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, Clinical Deterioration, Diagnosis, Differential, Humans, Lemierre Syndrome diagnosis, Lemierre Syndrome etiology, Lemierre Syndrome physiopathology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, SARS-CoV-2, Tomography, X-Ray Computed methods, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult, Brain Abscess diagnostic imaging, Brain Abscess etiology, Coronavirus Infections epidemiology, Coronavirus Infections prevention & control, Critical Care methods, Delayed Diagnosis, Fusobacterium necrophorum isolation & purification, Fusobacterium necrophorum pathogenicity, Liver Abscess, Pyogenic diagnostic imaging, Liver Abscess, Pyogenic etiology, Liver Abscess, Pyogenic surgery, Multiple Pulmonary Nodules diagnostic imaging, Multiple Pulmonary Nodules etiology, Pandemics prevention & control, Pneumonia, Viral epidemiology, Pneumonia, Viral prevention & control, Quarantine methods, Quarantine psychology, Tooth Diseases complications, Tooth Diseases diagnosis, Tooth Diseases microbiology
- Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has disrupted the delivery of routine healthcare services on a global scale. With many regions suspending the provision of non-essential healthcare services, there is a risk that patients with common treatable illnesses do not receive prompt treatment, leading to more serious and complex presentations at a later date. Lemierre's syndrome is a potentially life-threatening and under-recognised sequela of an oropharyngeal or dental infection. It is characterised by septic embolisation of the gram-negative bacillus Fusobacterium necrophorum to a variety of different organs, most commonly to the lungs. Thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein is frequently identified. We describe an atypical case of Lemierre's syndrome involving the brain, liver and lungs following a dental infection in a young male who delayed seeking dental or medical attention due to a lack of routine services and concerns about the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2020
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