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Case Reports
. 2006 Jul 17:6:115.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-6-115.

Lemierre's syndrome and genetic polymorphisms: a case report

Jean-Michel Constantin  1 , Jean-Paul Mira, Renaud Guerin, Sophie Cayot-Constantin, Olivier Lesens, Florence Gourdon, Jean-Pierre Romaszko, Philippe Linval, Henri Laurichesse, Jean-Etienne Bazin
Affiliations
Case Reports

Lemierre's syndrome and genetic polymorphisms: a case report

Jean-Michel Constantin et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Lemierre's syndrome presents a classic clinical picture, the pathophysiology of which remains obscure. Attempts have been made to trace genetic predispositions that modify the host detection of pathogen or the resultant systemic reaction.

Case presentation: A 17-year old female, with no previous medical history, was admitted to the intensive care unit for septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome and Lemierre's syndrome. Her DNA was assayed for single nucleotide polymorphisms previously incriminated in the detection of the pathogen, the inflammatory response and the coagulation cascade. We observed functional variations in her Toll like 5 receptor (TLR 5) gene and two coagulation variations (Tissue Factor (TF) 603 and Plasminogen-Activator-Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G-4G homozygosity) associated with thrombotic events.

Conclusion: The innate immune response and the prothrombogenic mutations could explain, at least in part, the symptoms of Lemierre's syndrome. Genomic study of several patients with Lemierre's syndrome may reveal its pathophysiology.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Initial thoracic CT-scan (A) and chest X-ray (B), thoracic CT-scan after chest tube and under mechanical ventilation (C).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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