Definition
Lymphadenitis is an infection that affects one or more lymph nodes.
This condition generally causes fever and swollen lymph nodes, but unlike lymphadenopathy (lymph node swelling of various kinds) also causes local pain and tenderness.
In some infections, the skin overlying the lymph nodes is inflamed, sometimes with cellulitis and formation of abscesses and fistulas.
Lymphadenitis can develop as a complication of some bacterial, viral, fungal and protozoan infections.
The focal shape occurs mainly in streptococcal, staphylococcal and tubercular and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. In addition, it can occur in the case of tularemia, plague, cat scratch disease (bartonellosis), primary syphilis, genital herpes simplex, venereal lymphogranuloma and cancer.
Multifocal lymphoadenitis is frequent, however, in the presence of infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmosis, brucellosis, secondary syphilis and disseminated histoplasmosis.
Possible Causes * of Lymphadenitis
- Anthrax
- Brucellosis
- cancroid
- Genital herpes
- Cytomegalovirus infection (CMV)
- Histoplasmosis
- Venereal lymphogranuloma
- Cat scratch disease
- Chagas disease
- Mononucleosis
- Syphilis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Tuberculosis
