Presentation of Lemierre's Syndrome Secondary to Klebsiella pneumoniae-Caused Neck Abscess Following an Odontogenic Infection.

Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal complication of oropharyngeal or odontogenic infections, typically caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. In rare instances, Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) has been identified as the causative organism. It is characterized by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) and may result in septic emboli to distant organs. We describe the case of a 54-year-old woman with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus who presented with a deep neck space infection following a tooth extraction. Imaging revealed multiple deep neck abscesses, mandibular osteomyelitis, and thrombosis of the right IJV. Surgical drainage was performed, and cultures revealed K. pneumoniae. She recovered well after a six-week course of antibiotics and anticoagulation.