Diseases Found With Lymphadenitis

Lymphadenitis is the medical term used to describe an inflamed lymph node. Since any of the 600 lymph nodes in the human body may become enlarged due to disease, diagnosis involves making a distinction between localized lymphadenitis caused by a site-specific infection and generalized lymphadenitis triggered by an infection impacting the entire body. This is because there are numerous infectious, autoimmune and malignant diseases found with lymphadenitis.

Infections

• Several bacterial and viral infections produce swollen lymph glands at the site of infection. One of the most common causes of enlarged cervical lymph nodes at the neck is Strep throat caused by an invasion of streptococcus bacteria. Infectious mononucleosis, also known as the "kissing disease," also affects the lymph glands of the neck. Wound infections may also cause localized lymphadenitis, such as Bartonella, more commonly known as cat scratch fever. A tooth infection, or abscess, frequently results in swollen lymph glands near the site of infection.

Toxoplasmosis

• This is a parasitic disease that produces generalized lymphadenitis due to exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. While this parasite infects many animals, including humans, it primarily targets felines. This is why this disease is commonly associated with coming into contact with the feces of an infected domestic cat while cleaning litter boxes. However, eating infected meat is the more common mode of transmission of this disease.

Cancers

• Various lymphomas originate in the lymph system and spread to numerous lymph nodes, including Hodgkin's disease and hairy cell leukemia. However, it is also possible for other types of cancers to metastasize and spread to lymph nodes anywhere in the body.

Autoimmune Diseases

• Numerous diseases that compromise immune function are known to cause lymphadenitis, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sarcoidosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Tuberculosis

• Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although this disease initially targets the lungs, it frequently spreads to invade other areas of the body, including the lymph nodes of the neck and chest. This happens when the invading bacteria hitch a ride on specialized immune cells of the lungs called dendritic cells, which travel to other parts of the body to interact with other immune cells. The result is the formation of nodules called granulomas.

Organic Dust Diseases

• Also known as occupational lung diseases, these disorders are examples of diseases found with lymphadenitis that first impact the lungs and then spread to the lymph nodes of the chest. Like tuberculosis, organic dust disease is characterized by the formation of granulomas in lung tissue. However, the development of granulomas is caused by prolonged or chronic inhalation of organic dusts rather than an infectious disease. Examples of organic dust diseases include silicosis and berylliosis.