TUBERCULOSIS OF THE CERVICAL LYMPH NODES: A CLINICAL, PATHOLOGICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

We carried out prospective study on 121 cases of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis during a 5-years period (1990-1995) in order to determine the correlation between clinical, histological and microbiological finding in establishing the tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosis. Biopsy was done in 96 cases, of which 93 specimens (96%) were compatible with tuberculous lymphadenitis, with 17 cases positive of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in culture. The remaining 25 cases consisted of TB abscesses with a yield of 19 cases of positive AFB in culture, of 115 patients who completed the 6 months (2 RHZE/4 RH) short-course chemotherapy, (95%) showed excellent results.