Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease: A Rare Benign Cause of Lymphadenopathy That Mimics Malignant Lymphoma

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also called histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a benign self-limited disease involving lymph node enlargement with unclear causes and high fever. It was first seen in Japan and has wide array of differentials, and thus it can be confused with other causes of lymphadenitis leading to an incorrect treatment. We describe a case of a 34-year-old man with prolonged painless cervical lymphadenopathy and fever, in whom KFD, that is histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, was diagnosed after the gold standard test of lymph node biopsy. Physical examination, history, and other relevant investigations were performed to rule out infectious and autoimmune causes. For management, prednisone 80mg and hydroxychloroquine were given, which lead to an uneventful full recovery. Our findings were compared to other similar studies conducted in the past. KFD is a self-limited condition that usually resolves by itself. KFD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy. An accurate diagnosis requires close collaboration between clinicians and pathologists. Early diagnosis of KFD allows reducing stress caused by alarming symptoms and avoiding unnecessary treatment.