A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF NON NEOPLASTIC LYMPHADENOPATHY

A total of 200 lymph node specimens were studied. The age of these patients ranged from 2 years to 70 years. Maximum number of patients with lymphadenopathy (87 out of 200) 43% cases was in 10-19 years age group. Females (56.5%) presenting with lymph node enlargement were more affected than males (43.5%). The commonest presenting complaints were fever (67%). Cervical lymph nodes (83%) were the commonest site of involvement. Duration of lymph node enlargement ranged from 2-5 months in 143 out of200 (71.5%). On histopathological examination, five morphological groups were highlighted; tuberculous lymphadenitis (50.5%) chronic non-specific lymphadenitis (43%. 5%), viral lymphadenitis (4%), fungal lymphadenitis (1%) and acute bacterial lymphadenitis (1%). The study also highlights the yield of mycobacteria on fluorescent staining as highly significant (P<0.001) as compared to Ziehl-Neelsen staining, hereby providing the superiority of fluorescent stain. In the present study, 8 out of 200 (4%) and 2 of 200 (1%) lymph node biopsies were found to have viral inclusions and fungal hyphae respectively. Two out of 200 (1%) lymph node biopsies were diagnosed to be acute bacterial lymphadenitis.