Necrotizing lymphadenitis: Not always tuberculosis, its Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease

Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease is an uncommon self limiting, benign cause of generalised lymphadenopathy with fever. It can present as a triad of fever, night sweats and lymphadenopathy which resembles more common causes like tuberculosis and lymphoma. Being an endemic country a patient may be treated on the lines of tuberculosis often. We present case of a young female who was diagnosed as Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease after not responding to antitubercular treatment. Pathologists and Clinicians must be aware of this condition to prevent unnecessary treatment.

Keywords: Lymphadenopathy; Necrotizing lymphadenitis; Tuberculosis.