[Kikuchi's disease: a case report and literature review]

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, also known as hystiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is an unusual entity which affects predominantely young Asiatic females, although its distribution is world-wide. Cardinal symptoms are fever and adenopathy, generally cervical, although generalized and extraganglionar cases have been described. Considered a self-limiting disease, it has to be differentiated by pathologic analysis from other less-benign disorders such as lymphoma or histiocytoma, which bear worse prognosis and may require specific treatment. Although the origin of this disease is unknown, a viral origin is postulated and the immune system is involved Kikuchi disease has been associated to other entities such as subcutaneous lupus erythematosus, Hashimoto thyroiditis, etc... requiring that patients be followed immunologically alter diagnosis of this disease. We present a case of Kikuchi disease associated with subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis.