A Case Report from the City of Biratnagar, Eastern Zone of Nepal: Kikuchi–Fujimoto Disease

Abstract

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, also known as Kikuchi–Fujimoto disease (KFD), is a rare, benign, self-limiting cervical lymphadenitis of unknown etiology that usually presents with lymphadenopathy and fever. This was the case of a 24-year-old, unmarried female who presented with painful neck swelling, fever, and difficulty in swallowing. She had been treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents with no results. The patient had been suffering for almost 2 months and did not respond to any treatment. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) report showed a granulomatous lymphadenitis. Smear for acid-fast bacilli was also negative. The FNAC report was critical for the diagnosis by suggesting the presence of granulomatous tissue against a background of necrosis. The diagnosis of KFD was confirmed after excision biopsy of the lymph node. The patient was treated symptomatically and responded well. Awareness and knowledge of this disease is essential for the diagnosis for physicians and health care workers in this part of the world so that the appropriate treatment can be given.

Keywords

Kikuchi–Fujimoto disease - cervical lymphadenopathy - necrotizing lymphadenitis

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