Patients with altered taste perception following stroke are at risk for malnutrition and associated complications that may impede recovery and adversely affect quality of life. Such deficits often induce and exacerbate depressive symptomatology, which can further hamper recovery. It is important for clinicians and rehabilitation specialists to monitor stroke patients for altered taste perception so that this issue can be addressed. The authors present the case of a patient who experienced an isolated ischemic infarct affecting a primary cortical taste area. This case is unusual in that the isolated injury allowed the patient to remain relatively intact cognitively and functionally, and thus able to accurately describe her taste-related deficits. The case is further used to describe the relevant neurological taste pathways and review potential taste-related therapies.

Background Lemierre’s Syndrome (LS) is a highly aggressive rare disease process with a predilection for young, healthy adolescents. Often beginning with a primary cervicofacial infection, LS rapidly progresses to thrombophlebitis of the cerebral vasculature, metastatic infection, and septicemia. Untreated LS can be rapidly fatal. Thrombus within the cerebral vasculature can have devastating neurological effects. Advances in antibacterial therapy have resulted in a global decline in the incidence of LS, and clinicians may not consider LS early in the disease process. While the mortality of LS has declined, the morbidity associated with the disease has increased, particularly the neurological sequelae. Objectives This report will provide readers with a better understanding of the etiology, clinical presentation, evaluation methods, and appropriate treatment of LS. Case Report We present an atypical case of LS secondary to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection progressing to bilateral cavernous sinus and ophthalmic vein thromboses with resultant binocular vision loss secondary to optic nerve and retinal ischemia. Conclusion This case highlights the importance of early recognition of LS in the setting of a community-acquired MRSA infection as the unifying condition in a young patient with multiple acute neurologic impairments.

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