An Uncommon Case of Streptococcus constellatus Associated Lemierre's Syndrome

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but life-threatening complication of oropharyngeal infection characterized by the spread of infection from the pharynx to the internal jugular vein, leading to septic thrombophlebitis, bacteremia, and metastatic septic emboli, most commonly affecting the lungs.Early recognition and prompt antibiotic treatment are essential to reduce complications such as lung abscesses and systemic spread, which remain significant causes of morbidity.We present the case of a 27-year-old woman who developed Lemierre's syndrome with Streptococcus constellatus, highlighting an uncommon pathogen in this clinical syndrome.This patient's presentation was also atypical due to initial clinical improvement that interrupted diagnosis, leading to the development and dissemination of septic thromboembolism and underlining the importance of early recognition.After appropriate diagnosis, she recovered well with outpatient IV antibiotics and without need for surgical intervention.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-11-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.119330
Primary Topic
Otolaryngology and Infectious Diseases
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

An Uncommon Case of Streptococcus constellatus Associated Lemierre's Syndrome

Lysine E. Varghese, Shivam Patel, Dev N Lotia, Abulhasan F Alkhafaji
Cureus
Otolaryngology and Infectious Diseases
article

An Uncommon Case of Streptococcus constellatus Associated Lemierre's Syndrome

Lysine E. Varghese, Shivam Patel, Dev N Lotia, Abulhasan F Alkhafaji
article en

Abstract

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but life-threatening complication of oropharyngeal infection characterized by the spread of infection from the pharynx to the internal jugular vein, leading to septic thrombophlebitis, bacteremia, and metastatic septic emboli, most commonly affecting the lungs.Early recognition and prompt antibiotic treatment are essential to reduce complications such as lung abscesses and systemic spread, which remain significant causes of morbidity.We present the case of a 27-year-old woman who developed Lemierre's syndrome with Streptococcus constellatus, highlighting an uncommon pathogen in this clinical syndrome.This patient's presentation was also atypical due to initial clinical improvement that interrupted diagnosis, leading to the development and dissemination of septic thromboembolism and underlining the importance of early recognition.After appropriate diagnosis, she recovered well with outpatient IV antibiotics and without need for surgical intervention.

Cureus
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (US), Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College (IN)
Otolaryngology and Infectious Diseases
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