TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH

Search the
latest
treatment
information
here.

Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist

Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.

Next Prev

Diseases » Lymphadenitis » Glossary

Glossary for Lymphadenitis

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Cancer of the white blood cells. Precursors to white blood cells are called blasts and are made by the bone marrow but in ALL the blasts are abnormal and do not develop into lymphocytes. Instead, the abnormal blasts or leukemic cells multiply rapidly and reduce the level of other types of blood cells such as red blood cells and platelets.
Adenopathy: Enlarged lymph nodes which may be caused by local or generalised infection, inflammatory conditions, malignancy or more unusual disorders.
Adult T-Cell leukemia: A form of blood cancer affecting the T-cells which make up the body's immune system. The disease is caused by the HTLV-1 virus (human T-cell leukemia virus) which causes the proliferation of abnormal T-cells. The virus can be transmitted sexually and may lay dormant for decades. There are four subtypes: acute, chronic, lymphoma and smoldering. The acute and lymphoma subtypes have the poorest prognosis.
Analgesia: A condition which is characterized by an absence of pain
Angiofollicular ganglionic hyperplasia - hyaline-vascular type: A rare disorder characterized by a localized overgrowth of lymph node tissue which can form a benign tumor-like growth. There are two types of the disease: hyaline-vascular type or the plasma cell type which tends to have more severe symptoms. The hyaline-vascular type is usually asymptomatic but symptoms can be determined by the location and number of growths and the effect it can have on nearby tissue by pushing against it - e.g. squashing blood vessels.
Breast Cancer: Cancer of the breast.
Brucellosis: An infectious disease caused by the Brucella genus which is transmitted from animals to humans.
Cellulitis: Inflammation of skin or subcutaneous tissues.
Cervical lymphadenopathy: The enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes
Chagas disease: A parasitic infection caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by insect bites or blood transfusions. The disease primarily involves the heart and gastrointestinal system.
Chronic Granulomatous Disease: A very rare inherited blood disorder where certain cells involved with immunity (phagocytes) are unable to destroy bacteria and hence the patient suffers repeated bacterial infections.
Coccidioidomycosis: An infectious disease caused by a fungus called Coccidioides immitis which is found in the soil. Transmission usually occurs through inhalation but can rarely occur through the skin. Very rarely, infection can spread throughout the body to involve the skin, bones, joints, lungs and central nervous system which can be fatal if untreated.
Colorectal cancer: Cancer of the colon (bowel) or rectum.
Cowpox: A skin disease caused by the cowpox virus. The virus tends to occur in cows but can be transmitted to humans. Exposure usually occurs when hand-milking infected cows.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: A malignancy of the T-cells which make up part of the body's immune system. The cancer is characterized by the excessive proliferation of T-cells which are a type of white blood cell. The degree of skin involvement is variable.
Cystic Hygroma: A progressive condition characterized by a sac filled with lymphatic fluid that forms in the lymphatic system, usually at the nape of the neck but sometimes in other parts of the body.
Cytomegalovirus: A easily transmissible viral infection that is common but generally causes no symptoms except in infants and people with weakened immune systems.
Epstein-Barr virus: Common virus causing mononucleosis
Erythroderma: Condition with thickening and flaking skin
Fever: Elevation of the body temperature above the normal 37 degrees celsius
Hemangiopericytoma: A slow growing tumor that develops in deep soft tissues an tends to occur mainly in the abdomen (pelvic retroperitoneum specifically), hips, shoulders, upper arms and upper legs.
Hepatitis A: Contagious viral infection of the liver
Hepatitis B: Viral liver infection spread by sex or body fluids.
Histoplasmosis: Lung infection from fungus Histoplasma capsulatum
Hyper IgE: Inherited immunodeficiency disorders involving excessive production of IgE and frequent bacterial (staphylococcal) infections mainly involving the skin as well as other problems. Recessively inherited forms of the condition tend to be more serious with bone problems.
Immune disorders: Disorders that affect the immune system
Job syndrome: An immunodeficiency disorder characterized by excessive production of IgE and frequent bacterial infections mainly involving the skin.
Lassa fever: Infectious rat-borne West African disease.
Lymphangitis: Inflammation of the lymphatic channels caused by an infectious agent.
Lymphatic Filariasis: Parasitic worm infection of the lympatic system
Measles: Once common viral infection now rare due to vaccination.
Melanoma: Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease. It involves cells called melanocytes, which produce a skin pigment called melanin. Melanin is responsible for skin and hair color.
Melioidosis: Bacterial infection from soil or water.
Mesenteric Adenitis: Swollen abdominal lymph nodes
Mycosis fungoides: Mycosis fungoides is a rare form of T-cell lymphoma of the skin. The disease is typically slowly progressive and chronic.
Mycosis fungoides, familial: A rare form of lymphatic cancer (T-cell lymphoma) that primarily affects the skin and tends to occur with higher than normal frequency within a family. The skin is affected first, then the lymph nodes become inflamed and usually cancerous. The cancer can then spread to organs such as the liver, lungs and bone marrow. Survival depends on how early treatment starts. Patients diagnosed in the early stages can survive more than 12 years whereas once the cancer has spread to other organs, death usually occurs within three years.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A type of lymphoma, a cancer affecting lymph nodes and the immune system.
Paracoccidioidomycosis: Infection by the fungus Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis which usually affects the lungs but can also involve the skin, mucous membranes, lymphatic system and other parts of the body.
Rhabditida Infections: Infection with a parasitic worm from the order rhabditida. The symptoms are determined by the species involved.
Rhodococcus equi: A rare form of bacterial infection that usually affects horses and foals but can cause infection mainly in immunocompromised people. Infection usually starts at the site of some sort of trauma. Symptoms and severity may vary considerably depending on the location and extent of the infection.
River Blindness: Skin and eye infection caused by the helminth (worm) 'Onchocerca volvulus', transmitted via fly bites and usually seen only in parts of Africa, the Middle East and South America
Rubella: A contagious viral infection caused by the Rubella virus which produces a rash and lymph node swelling. It can have serious implication in pregnant women as the virus can be transmitted through the placenta and cause serious fetal defects or even fetal death.
Scrub typhus: Type of typhus usually caught from ticks
Secernentea Infections: Infection with a type of parasitic nematode (worm). The symptoms are highly variable depending on where the worm migrates to through out the body and which particular species is involved. Some examples of nematodes are Wuchereria, Spirurina, Mansonella, Drucunculus, Loa and Ascaris.
Secondary syphilis: A condition which is characterized by fever, multiform skin eruptions, iritis, alopecia, mucous patches and severe pain in the head and joints
Sennetsu Fever: A rare infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Ehrlichia sennetsu.
Serum sickness: Type of allergic reaction to certain medications or serums
Smallpox: Dangerous virus now almost eliminated worldwide by vaccination.
Sporotrichosis: A fungal skin infection caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenckii. Usually only the skin is infected but bones, lungs and central nervous system can rarely be affected also. Transmission usually occurs through infection of a skin wound.
Stomach cancer: Stomach or gastric cancer can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs
Swelling symptoms: Symptoms causing swelling or enlargement.
Tuberculosis: Bacterial infection causing nodules forming, most commonly in the lung.
Underarm pain: A feeling of distress and agony caused by the stimulation of pain nerve endings in the underarm
Visceral leishmaniasis: A condition which is characterized by an infection of the viscera by leishmaniasis
Whipple's Disease: Rare malabsorption disease from bacterial digestive infection
Wuchereria bancrofti: An infectious disease caused by a thin, white, threadworm which affects the lymphatic circulation. It is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito.