Screening tests for diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy presenting as prolonged fever

During a two years period, 16 cases having cervical lymphadenopathy presenting as prolonged fever were studied in Abbassia fever hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Patients were subjected to careful history, thorough clinical examination, complete blood picture, tuberculin test, chest x-ray, Monospot test, indirect fluorescent antibody test for toxoplasmosis, detection of cytomegalovirus antibodies and lymph node biopsy with histopathological examination. Ten within normal subjects were taken as controls. The patients were grouped on histopathological basis into 5 groups: (1) One (6%) of the cases was non-specific lymphadenitis diagnosed by clinical examination of the scalp and leucocytosis with polymorphonuclear predominance. (2) Reactive lymphadenitis included 6 (38%) of the cases. Infectious mononucleosis cases were diagnosed by clinical triad of fever, pharyngitis and cervical lymphadenopathy, relative lymphocytosis, monocytosis and positive monospot test. Cytomegalovirus case was diagnosed by lymphocytosis, monocytosis and negative monospot test. Toxoplasmosis cases were diagnosed by monocytosis, negative tuberculin test and positive indirect fluorescent antibody test. (3) Granulomatous lymphadenitis comprised 6 (3%) of the cases. Tuberculous cases were diagnosed by high ESR and highly positive tuberculin test. Sarcoidosis cases were diagnosed by negative tuberculin test and presence of hilar lymphadenopathy. (4) Non-Hodgkin lymphoma case (6%) was diagnosed by clinical deterioration and total lymph node biopsy. 15) Systemic infections were diagnosed by clinical examination, blood culture for salmonellae and brucellae, Widal and Brucella agglutination tests. It is concluded from this study that screening tests are important aids in the diagnosis of cases of cervical lymphadenopathy presenting by prolonged fever especially if lymph node biopsy and histopathological examination are not available or contraindicated. Tub