Lymphadenitis Causes

Have you ever felt that your lymph nodes are swollen, enlarged, and painful to the touch? If the answer is yes, you might be experiencing lymphadenitis, or inflammation of the lymph nodes. In this article, we will shed light on the causes of lymphadenitis and the methods for diagnosing it in detail.

What causes lymphadenitis?

Lymph nodes are small, oval-shaped organs that filter lymph fluid and contain many white blood cells to fight infections. They are part of the lymphatic system, which consists of a network that includes lymph nodes, vessels, and channels, as well as organs that produce and transport lymph fluid from the tissues to the bloodstream.

Normally, lymph nodes are small and soft, but they can enlarge, become inflamed, swollen, and painful, and can be felt during a physical examination. This condition is referred to as lymphadenitis.

In fact, the causes of lymph node inflammation range from mild to more serious and concerning reasons. Below are the details:

• Bacterial, Viral, or Fungal Infections

The most common cause of lymphadenitis is an infection—bacterial, viral, or fungal—that spreads to the nearby lymph nodes or throughout the body. Here are some details:

1. Bacterial infections

Lymphadenitis may occur after infections caused by streptococcal or staphylococcal bacteria, or other bacteria. It may also happen after contracting tuberculosis, cat-scratch disease, tularemia (rabbit fever), or brucellosis.

2. Viral infections

Viral infections are also common causes of lymphadenitis. Examples include respiratory infections, colds, genital herpes, HIV, and mononucleosis.

3. Fungal infections

In some cases, lymph nodes become inflamed after a fungal infection such as toxoplasmosis (caused by Toxoplasma gondii) or histoplasmosis (caused by Histoplasma capsulatum).

• Autoimmune Diseases

Certain autoimmune diseases can cause inflammation and swelling in the lymph nodes, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

• Cancers

In rarer cases, cancer may be the cause of lymph node inflammation, including:

1. Leukemia.
2. Lymphoma.

What are the types of lymphadenitis?

There are two types of lymphadenitis:

1. Localized lymphadenitis: This is the most common type, where only one lymph node or a group of lymph nodes near the infection site becomes inflamed. For example, lymph nodes in the neck may become inflamed during tonsillitis.
2. Generalized lymphadenitis: This occurs when two or more groups of lymph nodes are inflamed, often due to a systemic infection spreading through the bloodstream.

How is lymphadenitis diagnosed?

To diagnose lymphadenitis, doctors typically begin with a physical examination, as swollen and enlarged lymph nodes can be felt. Next, they ask about other symptoms and may order a series of tests to determine the cause of the inflammation. These tests may include:

• Blood tests to check for infections.
• Lymph node biopsy, where a tissue sample is taken for further analysis.
• Culturing fluid from the lymph nodes to identify the type of microorganism.
• Imaging tests such as X-rays or CT scans.

Blazma provides all the necessary tests that doctors may require for diagnosing lymphadenitis, including a complete blood count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate to detect inflammation in the body.