A Rare Presentation of Acute Suppurative Thyroiditis

A previously healthy 17-year-old female patient initially presented with symptoms of anterior neck pain. After multiple emergency department visits, she was found to have unilateral enlargement of her thyroid gland. Laboratory studies were consistent with hyperthyroidism. Symptoms were initially attributed to subacute thyroiditis, and she was discharged with steroids and propranolol. She presented again 1 week later with complaints of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and shortness of breath. She was readmitted and developed sepsis with multiorgan system infection and Lemierre syndrome. Further imaging revealed acute suppurative thyroiditis as the likely source. Direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy revealed ulceration of the anterior esophageal wall, a fistulous tract to the thyroid, and copious purulent drainage. Esophageal biopsies with immunostaining established a diagnosis of herpes simplex virus esophagitis as the likely cause of esophageal perforation, fistula development, and acute suppurative thyroiditis.