Objective: Cervicofacial lymphadenitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is commonly treated with surgery or antimicrobial therapy. The aim of this study was to analyze the utility of our new blood-based diagnostic method and the treatment protocol, surgery or observation alone, in NTM lymphadenitis in children.
Methods: All patients under 16 years of age with cervicofacial NTM lymphadenitis diagnosed and treated at Children's Hospital or at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Hospital (Helsinki, Finland) in 2007-2017 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Fifty-two patients, 33 (63%) of whom were girls, were included in the study. The median age at initial presentation of the NTM lymphadenitis was 2.9 years. The novel blood-test had been performed on 49 (94%) of the patients and in all of them it was indicative of NTM infection. A sample for mycobacterial culture was available from 34 patients, and Mycobacterium avium was the most common species detected. Most patients (n = 33, 63%) were treated conservatively with observation alone. Of these, nine patients (27%) did not develop a skin fistula, and the lymphadenitis resolved without drainage.
Conclusions: The novel blood test is clinically feasible method for diagnosing childhood cervicofacial NTM lymphadenitis noninvasively. Observation alone is a good alternative to surgery, without the risk of complications.
Keywords: Children; Lymphadenitis; Non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
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