Cervical Lymphadenitis: What Differentiates Tuberculosis from Atypical Mycobacteria?

In Italy, children with TB are older than those with atypical mycobacteria and are more likely to be foreign born in a developing country and to have abnormal chest x-rays.

Subacute cervical lymphadenitis can be secondary to infection with multiple pathogens, including tuberculosis (TB), atypical/nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), Epstein-Barr virus, bartonella, and toxoplasmosis; serologic tests are available for all except the mycobacterial etiologies. Distinguishing between TB and NTM is important because treatment is medical for TB and surgical for NTM. Traditionally, fine-needle aspiration or biopsy is needed to determine the correct treatment approach.

Investigators in Italy retrospectively examined clinical and laboratory data for all 299 children (age, <16 years) with diagnosis of mycobacterial disease at two referral clinics from 1999 to 2009. Of 121 children (40%) with a clinical diagnosis of cervica…

Reviewing Author

Peggy Sue Weintrub, MD

Cervical Lymphadenitis: What Differentiates Tuberculosis from Atypical Mycobacteria?

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Reviewing Author