Cervical lymphadenitis and cat scratch disease (CSD): an overlooked disease?

Cat Scratch Disease (CSD) is a benign disease characterized by regional lymphadenopathy affecting most frequently the head and neck region in children and young adults. In the present paper, the authors describe four cases of CSD focusing on clinical history, diagnostic management and therapy. The main germ responsible for this lymph node disease is Bartonella henselae. Diagnosis is based on history, serology and histological findings. Clinical evolution is generally favorable despite the fact that complications occur in about 5% to 13% of patients including encephalitis, hepatitis and Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome. Antibiotic treatment is only considered for highly symptomatic patients. Surgical excision of the lymphadenopathy is useful to establish the diagnosis when serology is not available and/or when the adenopathy become fluctuating. The authors emphasize the increasing incidence of patients with CSD in the ENT population and the algorithm for CSD disease affecting the cervical lymph nodes.