title: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) caused by Kikuchi's disease mimicking lymphoma.
abstract: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) refers to infectious, neoplastic, or rheumatic/inflammatory disorders that present with fevers of 101 degrees F or greater for 3 weeks and that remain undiagnosed after an intensive in-hospital or outpatient workup. The noninfectious causes of FUO in adults are most often lymphomas or rheumatic/inflammatory disorders. Among the rare causes of rheumatic/inflammatory FUOs is Kikuchi's disease. Kikuchi's disease (Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease) is also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, a benign, self-limited disorder usually in middle-aged women of Asian descent. Cervical adenopathy is typical and often accompanied by leukopenia. In middle-aged adults patients presenting with an FUO, the presence of otherwise unexplained cervical adenopathy should suggest the possibility of lymphoma or, rarely, Kikuchi's disease.
authors.affiliation: Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Burke A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Nardeen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mickail
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durie
authors.forename: Francisco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Pherez
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strollo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology*; D020042:Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis