Cervical adenopathy secondary to toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is not a rare disease. Infestation occurs in 75% of the general world population and in 35% of the US population. Lymphadenopathy, primarily of the cervical type, is one of the most common signs of acquired toxoplasmosis. During the past 15 years a great number of reports have appeared in the medical literature regarding toxoplasmosis. However, it seems that most clinicians do not consider this disease as a possibility when they encounter patients with unexplained cervical adenopathy in whom the usual tests for infectious mononucleosis are negative. In fact, the majority of such patients come to the operating room with a suspected diagnosis of malignant neoplasm, particularly of malignant lymphoma. Thus, a great deal of unnecessary anxiety is generated and, at times, unnecessary surgery is performed. These may be avoidable. A total of 38 cases of acquired toxoplasmosis manifested by lymphadenopathy (82% in the cervical region) are analyzed with respect to symptomatology, differential diagnosis, clinical and laboratory diagnosis, and treatment. Toxoplasmosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with cervical tumors.