Sammanfattning
Fusobacterium necrophorum (Fn) is an anaerobe bacteria, known to cause Lemierre´s syndrome (LS). LS is a life-threatening illness, characterized by throat infection, which subsequently develops into a septic illness with thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and metastatic abscesses. LS is preferrably treated with intravenous clindamycin or a combination with bensylpenicillin and metronidazole. Several recent studies have postulated that Fn also may be an important cause of tonsillitis in adolescents and young adults. Data concerning whether Fn colonises the healthy oropharynx or not are diverging, and more studies concerning the incidence of Fn in the normal flora are needed to establish the diagnostic value of a positiv test for Fn in tonsillitis. Many case-reports suggest a relation between Fn and anginose mononucleosis caused by Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). This is supported by case-reports where invasive Fn-infection and LS are preceeded by an EBV-infection, but further studies are needed.