<i>Fusobacterium</i>-Positive and Streptococcal-Positive Pharyngitis
Authors: Robert M. Centor, T. Prescott Atkinson, Ken B. Waites
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2015)

Letters16 June 2015Fusobacterium-Positive and Streptococcal-Positive PharyngitisRobert M. Centor, MD, T. Prescott Atkinson, MD, PhD, and Ken B. Waites, MDRobert M. Centor, MDFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.Search for more papers by this author, T. Prescott Atkinson, MD, PhDFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.Search for more papers by this author, and Ken B. Waites, MDFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L15-5099-3 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We thank Dr. Matthys and colleagues for their comment. We do believe that F. necrophorum causes adolescent and young adult pharyngitis and deserves antibiotic treatment. Although the evidence is circumstantial, we believe that antibiotics would be prudent. The Lemierre syndrome is a devastating disease that has an estimated death rate of 5% with clinically significant short- and long-term morbidity (1). Chirinos and associates (2) reported that F. necrophorum causes approximately 80% of cases of the Lemierre syndrome. In most patients, it develops a few days after sore throat.We have strong evidence that F. necrophorum causes pharyngitis. Several ...References1. Centor RM. Expand the pharyngitis paradigm for adolescents and young adults. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:812-5. [PMID: 19949147] doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-11-200912010-00011 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Chirinos JA, Lichtstein DM, Garcia J, Tamariz LJ. The evolution of Lemierre syndrome: report of 2 cases and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). 2002;81:458-65. [PMID: 12441902] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Centor RM, Geiger P, Waites KB. Fusobacterium necrophorum bacteremic tonsillitis: 2 cases and a review of the literature. Anaerobe. 2010;16:626-8. [PMID: 20813196] doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2010.08.005 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Robert M. Centor, MD; T. Prescott Atkinson, MD, PhD; Ken B. Waites, MDAffiliations: From University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOf InterestForms.do?msNum=M14-1305. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Clinical Presentation of Fusobacterium-Positive and Streptococcal-Positive Pharyngitis in a University Health Clinic Robert M. Centor , T. Prescott Atkinson , Amy E. Ratliff , Li Xiao , Donna M. Crabb , Carlos A. Estrada , Michael B. Faircloth , Lisa Oestreich , Jeremy Hatchett , Walid Khalife , and Ken B. Waites Fusobacterium-Positive and Streptococcal-Positive Pharyngitis Jan Matthys , Marc De Meyere , and An De Sutter Fusobacterium-Positive and Streptococcal-Positive Pharyngitis James R. Uhl , Daniel R. Gustafson , Stefanea L. Rucinski , and Robin Patel Metrics Cited byLong-term impact of an intervention on rapid antigen detection tests in acute pharyngitisThe long shadow of Lemierre’s syndrome 16 June 2015Volume 162, Issue 12Page: 877-878KeywordsAdolescentsAntibioticsConflicts of interestDeath ratesDisclosureEpidemiologyForecastingMorbidityPharyngitisYoung adults ePublished: 16 June 2015 Issue Published: 16 June 2015 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2015 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...