[Mycobacterial lymphadenitis--case report]

Mycobacterial lymphadenitis is still a common and often poorly treated disease. Cervical lymph-node is most frequently involved. Mycobacterium tuberculosis clearly preponderates as the cause of mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis in adults while other mycobacteria (MOTT) area mostly the causes of the same disease in children. Diagnostic methods and treatment choices between both groups are therefore different. It seems appropriate to perform total excisional biopsy in children especially in R.O.C. where skin test to differentiate between TB and MOTT is useless due to BCG vaccination. Current policy for mycobacterial lymphadenitis in adult is based on clinical diagnosis and chemotherapy. Biopsy is reserved for patients who fail to respond, including the small portion of patients in whom lymph nodes enlarge during chemotherapy. Lymph nodes can appear a fresh or enlarge during or after treatment, but they usually resolve spontaneously.