[Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: review of four cases]

Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is an uncommon form of lymphadenitis, firstly described in Japan. Etiology is unknown. It affects mainly young women. It commonly manifests as a painful cervical lymphadenitis usually associated with fever and leukopenia. Clinical course users to be benign, leading spontaneously to a complete recovery. Histological findings include necrotizing changes with cariorrhesis, partial loss of ganglionar architecture and foci of histiocytic infiltrates in the cortical and/or paracortical zones of the lymph nodes. A common finding is the absence of neutrophil granulocytes in the inflammatory infiltrates, in contrast to other necrotizing lymphadenitis. We report four cases of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, recently identified in our hospital.