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

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.