Three variants of the leukotoxin gene in human isolates of Fusobacterium necrophorum subspecies funduliforme

Leukotoxin is a well-known virulence factor of animal isolates of Fusobacterium necrophorum subspecies necrophorum, and is also expressed by animal isolates of subspecies funduliforme, whereas its presence in isolates from humans has not been fully established. In this study we found that the leukotoxin gene was present in all tested F. necrophorum isolates from humans. Three sequence variants were found, two of which have not been described previously. The sequence types correlated to source of infection. Further studies are needed to examine the role of the leukotoxin in human infections

The role of Fusobacterium necrophorum in pharyngotonsillitis – A review

Fusobacterium necrophorum is a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that is the causative agent of the invasive disease Lemierre's syndrome. In addition, it is also associated with peritonsillar abscess formation and otitis media in small children. Recent research has shown that F. necrophorum may be involved in pharyngotonsillitis especially in adolescent and young adults and that it may be the second most common bacterial cause of pharyngotonsillitis after Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococci). Peritonsillar abscesses and Lemierre's syndrome due to F. necrophorum are also found in this age group, suggesting that they may be complications of F. necrophorum pharyngotonsillitis. In this review we present the present knowledge about the role of F. necrophorum in pharyngotonsillitis with special emphasis on the age distribution. We argue that F. necrophorum is an important pathogen involved in pharyngotonsillitis in the age group of 13–40 years of age and we urge clinical microbiology labs to set up the appropriate techniques to be able to detect F. necrophorum from throat swabs

Splenic Abscess in an Adolescent due to Salmonella enterica Conservatively Treated with Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration

Background. Splenic abscesses are rare and potentially fatal. Diagnosis is often delayed due to vague symptoms, and laboratory findings are varying and often nonspecific. Ultrasound and computed tomography have a high sensitivity in detecting splenic abscesses. Splenectomy was previously considered the gold standard for treatment, but in recent years, a shift has been seen towards a more conservative approach, i.e., ultrasound-guided aspiration or drainage in combination with adequate antibiotics in selected cases. Case Report. A previously healthy adolescent complained of left-sided chest pain, pain in the left clavicular region for three weeks, and recent fever. Ultrasound and computed tomography demonstrated an intrasplenic abscess. The patient was successfully treated with two percutaneous fine-needle punctures and adequate antibiotics for six weeks. Salmonella enterica serotype Poona was grown from the aspirate. At one-year follow-up, the patient remained healthy without signs of recurrence. Conclusion. The present case report demonstrates that ultrasound-guided aspiration and subsequent treatment with antibiotics may be an effective alternative to splenectomy in patients with a splenic abscess