Cervical lymphadenitis caused by Candida albicans

H Sang1, B Wu, X Zhang

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, Medical College of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. zwqhzsl@jlonline.com

Mycoses
|November 19, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Candida albicans caused cervical lymphadenitis in a child, presenting as localized fungal invasion. Treatment with fluconazole was successful, indicating its efficacy for this rare presentation.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cervical lymphadenitis is typically bacterial, making fungal causes rare.
  • Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen, usually causing mucocutaneous or systemic infections.

Observation:

  • An 8-year-old Chinese child presented with cervical lymphadenitis.
  • The infection was localized to a lymph node without signs of dissemination.
  • The child exhibited lymphopenia with reduced T-helper and T-suppressor cells.

Findings:

  • Cervical lymphadenitis was diagnosed as a localized Candida albicans infection.
  • The immune status showed a decrease in T-cell subsets, suggesting immune modulation by the fungal infection.
  • Intravenous fluconazole treatment proved effective.

Implications:

  • This case highlights Candida albicans as a potential cause of cervical lymphadenitis in children.
  • Localized fungal lymphadenitis may represent an early stage of fungal invasion.
  • Understanding the immunological response, including T-cell changes, is crucial for managing such infections.

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