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Submandibular lymph node enlargement due to cysticercosis infestation
Punita Kumari Sodhi1, Simmi K Ratan
1Department of Ophthalmology, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India. hardeep333@hotmail.com
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|May 4, 2004
Summary
Cysticercosis infestation causing lymph node enlargement is reported for the first time in a human case. Fine needle aspiration cytology aided in diagnosing this rare presentation of parasitic infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Parasitology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by the larval cysts of the tapeworm Taenia solium, typically affects the central nervous system.
- Lymph node involvement in human cysticercosis has not been previously documented.
Observation:
- A 7-year-old girl presented with seizures and a swollen right submandibular lymph node.
- Brain imaging revealed inflammatory granulomas, suggestive of neurocysticercosis.
- Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the enlarged lymph node was performed.
Findings:
- FNAC and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of serum and cerebrospinal fluid confirmed cysticercosis infestation.
- Histopathological examination of the lymph node revealed inflammatory granulomas.
Implications:
- This case highlights cysticercosis as a potential cause of lymph node enlargement in humans.
- Fine needle aspiration cytology is a valuable diagnostic tool for identifying parasitic infections in lymph nodes.
- The findings expand the clinical spectrum of human cysticercosis.