Subclassification of localized Leishmania lymphadenitis in fine needle aspiration smears.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the cytologic findings of localized Leishmania lymphadenitis and discuss the differential diagnosis.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 133 cases. All of them were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) study. The ages ranged between 3 and 80 years, 102 were male and 31 female. Seventy lymph nodes were excised.


RESULTS
The FNA smears revealed a polymorphic population of cells composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes, giant cells, abnormal plasma cells and tingible body macrophages. Leishman-Donovan (LD) bodies were identified in all cases, but their number differed from case to case. Granulomas, dendritic cells, mast cells and lymphoglandular bodies were identified in a substantial number of cases. Depending upon the presence of characteristic cytologic findings, the cases were divided into five major groups: acute inflammation with giant cells, histiocytic granulomas, epithelioid cell granulomas, plasma cell type and mixed histioplasmacytic type.


CONCLUSIONS
Leishmaniasis is an uncommon cause of cervical lymphadenitis but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained lymphadenopathy in endemic countries. Demonstration of LD bodies is necessary for the diagnosis of this self-limited condition, for which no treatment is required.
Kumar
P V
PV
Department of Pathology, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Moosavi
A
A
Karimi
M
M
Safaei
A
A
Noorani
H
H
Abdollahi
B
B
Bedayat
G R
GR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology