Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 clone as a cause of Lemierre's syndrome

Jake M Chanin; Luis A Marcos; Bithika M Thompson; Roger D Yusen; W Michael Dunne Jr; David K Warren; Carlos A Q Santos

doi:10.1128/JCM.02507-10

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 clone as a cause of Lemierre's syndrome

J Clin Microbiol. 2011 May;49(5):2063-6. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02507-10. Epub 2011 Mar 23.

Authors

Jake M Chanin¹, Luis A Marcos, Bithika M Thompson, Roger D Yusen, W Michael Dunne Jr, David K Warren, Carlos A Q Santos

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110-1093, USA.

Abstract

We describe a case of a young woman who had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 clone (MRSA-USA300)-associated Lemierre's syndrome and secondary necrotizing pneumonia and cerebral infarcts. We also review 11 cases of S. aureus-associated Lemierre's syndrome reported in the literature from 1965 to 2010. Recognition of S. aureus as an emergent cause of Lemierre's syndrome informs the initial empirical antibiotic choice for this life-threatening condition and may positively impact patient outcomes.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Bacterial Typing Techniques
Cerebral Infarction / complications
Cerebral Infarction / diagnosis
Cerebral Infarction / microbiology
Female
Genotype
Humans
Lemierre Syndrome / complications*
Lemierre Syndrome / diagnosis*
Lemierre Syndrome / microbiology
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
Molecular Typing
Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / complications
Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / diagnosis
Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / microbiology
Staphylococcal Infections / complications*
Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
Young Adult