Glossary for Swollen lymph nodes

Medical terms related to Swollen lymph nodes or mentioned in this section include:

• AIDS: A term given to HIV patients who have a low CD4 count (below 200) which means that they have low levels of a type of immune cell called T-cells. AIDS patients tend to develop opportunistic infections and cancers. Opportunistic infections are infections that would not normally affect a person with a healthy immune system. The HIV virus is a virus that attacks the body's immune system.
• AIDS-Related Complex: Patients with only mild symptoms of HIV infections.
• ALL-Down syndrome: The presence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Down syndrome patients. These patients tend to have a poorer prognosis for the leukemia than patients without Down syndrome.
• Acanthocytosis: A rare disorder where most of the red blood cells are abnormal with spiny projections due to lipid abnormalities. The blood abnormality is seen in conditions such as abetalipoproteinemia, severe liver disease and severe malnutrition. Symptoms and prognosis depend on the underlying disorder.
• Acute 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. The acute subtype tends to progress rapidly and is the most prevalent form of the condition.
• Acute basophilic leukaemia: A rare type of acute myeloid leukemia characterized by the presence of abnormal basophils.
• Acute cholinergic dysautonomia: A rare condition characterized by the presence of abnormal red blood cells in the bone marrow and blood. The condition is characterized by anemia and generally leads to the development of acute myelogenous leukemia. The acute form has more severe symptoms than the chronic form.
• Acute erythroleukemia: A rare condition characterized by the presence of abnormal blood cells (erythroblastic precursors) in the bone marrow and blood. The condition is characterized by anemia and generally leads to the development of acute myelogenous leukemia. The acute form has more severe symptoms than the chronic form.
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A malignant disease that starts suddenly and progresses quickly. It is characterized by a high number of immature cells in the organs, bone marrow and blood. Symptoms include fever, pallor, anorexia, fatigue, anemia, hemorrhage, bone pain, splenomegaly and frequent infections. Also called acute lymphocytic leukemia.
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, adult: 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.
• Acute myelofibrosis: A rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs it's ability to make blood cells causing symptoms such as anemia and liver and spleen enlargement.
• Acute panmyelosis: A rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs it's ability to make blood cells causing symptoms such as anemia and liver and spleen enlargement. The disease often progresses rapidly and results in death.
• Adenocarcinoma, Follicular: A type of cancer of the thyroid gland.
• Adenoid cystic carcionoma: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm. It has a biological course of slow progression and near absence of Iymph node metastasis.
• Adenoviridae Infections: Infection with a virus from the Adenoviridae family. The most common sites for infection are membrane linings such as the intestines, respiratory and urinary tract and the eyes. The infection may result in a range of symptoms depending on the particular virus involved. Transmission usually occurs through breathing in the germs or through fecal-oral contact. The infection is contagious.
• Adenovirus infection in immunocompromised patients: Infection with a virus from the Adenoviridae family that occurs in a patient with a weakened immune system. The infection in these people is serious and can be fatal. The infection may result in a range of symptoms depending on the particular virus involved. Transmission usually occurs through breathing in the germs or through fecal-oral contact.
• 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.
• Adult T-Cell lymphoma: 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. The lymphoma subtype is aggressive and tends to affect the lymph nodes more than the blood.
• Adult onset Still's disease: A form of Still's disease that has a later onset and involves arthralgia or arthritis and a characteristic rash that often appears during periods of temperature increase.
• African Sleeping sickness: A disease caused by parasites (Trypanosome brucei gamiense or T. brucei rodesiense) and transmitted to humans by the tsetse fly which is found only in Africa. Causes symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, anemia, edema of hands and feet, enlarged lymph glands, lethargy, sleepiness, convulsions and coma. Also called African trypanosomiasis and sleeping sickness.
• African tick typhus: A tick-borne rickettsial disease that occurs in the eastern hemisphere. Symptoms include fever, small ulcer at site of tick bite, swollen lymph glands nearby and a red raised rash.
• Aggressive NK-cell leukaemia: An aggressive form of blood cancer involving the rapid proliferation of natural killer (NK) cells.
• Aggressive systemic mastocytosis: The excessive proliferation of mast cells. Mast cells control the skin's response to minor injury and release a chemical called histamine which causes the skin to redden. In the aggressive form, mast cells accumulate in the liver, spleen and lymphatic system.
• Amyloidosis, inflammatory: Amyloidosis is a rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage and is potentially fatal. Symptoms depend on the organs involved. Secondary amyloidosis is caused by a chronic infection of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple myeloma, tuberculosis and osteomyelitis. The main organs affected in secondary amyloidosis are usually the kidneys, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. The peripheral and autonomic nerves and the heart are rarely affected.
• Angioimmunoblastic with dysproteinemia lymphadenopathy: A rare immune system disorder which is similar to lymphoma. The condition is progressive but the course varies with some patients surviving a long time without treatment and others surviving only a short period of time.
• Angiosarcoma: A rare, aggressive malignant tumor of the blood vessel cells. Also called hemangiosarcoma, malignant hemangioendothelioma.
• Anthrax: A serious infectious bacterial disease that can be fatal.
• Antihypertensive drug allergy: Taking antihypertensive drugs (blood pressure-lowering drugs) can cause an allergic response in some people however this is considered rare. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs.
• Aplasia cutis congenital - intestinal lymphangiectasia: A rare disorder characterized by a skin defect and dilated intestinal lymph vessels.
• Aplastic anemia: A blood disorder where the bone marrow produces insufficient new blood cells.
• Apo A-I deficiency: Low plasma HDL cholesterol that tends to run in families.
• Arachnidism: Poisoning from a spider bite.
• Arthritis - short stature - deafness: A very rare syndrome characterized by arthritis, short stature, deafness and numerous other abnormalities.
• Asrar-Facharzt-Haque syndrome: A form of sinus histiocytosis characterized by lymphadenopathy as well as involvement of other tissues such as the sinus cavity, skin, lungs, bone, eyes, kidneys, testes, head and neck area and the central nervous system. Symptoms vary according to the organ involved. The condition usually runs a prolonged course with spontaneous remission occurring in some cases. Rare cases may be fatal.
• Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome: An inherited autoimmune condition characterized by proliferation of lymphocytes and autoimmunity against the body's own blood cells resulting in premature death of certain blood cells.
• Avasthey syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized by pulmonary hypertension, lymphedema and malformation of brain blood vessels.
• Axillary Swelling: Enlargement, swelling or lump in the axillary (armpit) region.
• B-cell lymphomas: A group cancers involving the proliferation of lymphocytic B-cells. Examples include small lymphocytic lymphoma, immunoblastic lymphoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma.
• Back tumour: The presence of tumour growth in the vertebra, whether due to primary malignancies e.g. leukaemic or myeloma infiltration of the bone marrow, or due to secondary metastases from another site e.g. lung or breast.
• Bacterial diseases: Diseases caused by a bacterial infection
• Barmah Forest virus: Mosquito-borne virus in parts of Australia
• Bartholin's abscess: Abscess in a small vaginal gland
• Bartonella: A class of bacteria that can infect humans at a range of different sites. The most well known is Cat Scratch Disease, caused by B.henselae.
• Bartonella infections: Infection with bacteria from the Bartonella genus of bacteria. Specific bacteria from within this group are Bartonella bacilliforms (Oroya fever), Bartonella Heneslae (Cat-scratch disease). Other conditions caused by this bacteria are endocarditis, bacteremia and angiomatosis. Symptoms vary depending on the type of bacteria involved and the severity of the infection - immunocompromised patients face greater risk of severe infection.
• Bartonellosis: An infection by Bartonella bacilliformis which is transmitted through sandfly bites. Symptoms include fever, severe anemia, bone pain and skin lesions. Also called Carrion's disease, Oroya fever or verruga peruana.
• Black widow spider envenomation: The black widow spider bite is toxic to the nerves and can cause serious symptoms. The black widow spider is most commonly found in North America.
• Boil: Infected puseous hair follicle on the skin
• Bortonneuse fever: A mild infectious disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia Conorrii. The disease is transmitted by a dog tick (Riphicephalus sanguineus) and is most common in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Incubation usually takes about one week.
• Breast cancer stages: 0, I, II, III, IV: Cancer stage is based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, whether lymph nodes are involved, and whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast.

  Stage 0- is used to describe non-invasive breast cancers, such as DCIS and LCIS. In stage 0, there is no evidence of cancer cells or non-cancerous abnormal cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which they started, or of getting through to or invading neighboring normal tissue.

  Stage 1- describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters and no lymph nodes are involved.

  Stage 2- Stage 2 is divided into subcategories known as 2A and 2B.

  Stage 2A- No tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm).

  Stage 2B- the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes.

  Stage 3- Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC.

  Stage 3A- no tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone.

  Stage 3B- the tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast

  Stage 3C- there may be no sign of cancer in the breast or, if there is a tumor, it may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast, and the cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone.

  Stage 4- the cancer has spread to other organs of the body -- usually the lungs, liver, bone, or brain.

• Brucellosis: An infectious disease caused by the Brucella genus which is transmitted from animals to humans.
• Bubonic plague: Severe flea-borne bacterial disease
• Bulimia nervosa: Eating disorder with binging (overeating) and purging (vomiting).
• Bullis fever syndrome: A disease transmitted through tick bites (Ambylomma americanum). Symptoms include fever, rash and headache. The disease was first observed in soldiers training at Camp Bullis in America.
• Cantu Sanchez-Corona Garcia-cruz syndrome: A rare syndrome characterized by mental retardation, short stature, large skull, heart anomaly and various other abnormalities.
• Caspase-8 deficiency: A rare type of immunodeficiency disorder caused by a deficiency of caspase-8. Caspase-8 an important part of the immune system as it is involved in the activation of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and natural killer cells.
• Cat scratch disease: An infectious disease transmitted through a cat's bite, scratch or lick and resulting primarily in lymph node pain and swelling. The condition can be mild or severe.
• Cellulitis: inflammation of the subcutaneous fat
• Central nervous system protozoal infections: A protozoal infection of the central nervous system (spinal cord or brain). The infection may originate in the central nervous system (primary infection) or may spread from another part of the body (secondary infection). The infection may occur in otherwise healthy individuals or in individuals who have a compromised immune system. Primary protozoal CNS infections include cerebral amebiasis, granulomatous amebic encephalitis and secondary infections include cerebral malaria and cerebral babesiosis.
• 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.
• Chancroid: An sexually transmitted disease caused by the Haemophilus ducreyi bacteria and is characterized by painful genital ulceration.
• Chediak-Higashi like syndrome: A rare genetic disorder characterized mainly by albinism (lack of pigmentation). There are three different subtypes of the disorder (I, II and III) each with varying additional features such as immunodeficiency and neurological symptoms. Type 1 involves partial albinism and neurological symptoms, type II involves partial albinism, immunodeficiency and sometimes neurological symptoms and type III involves albinism only.
• Chromosome 22, trisomy: A very rare disorder where there is an extra copy of chromosome 22 in all the body cells. The condition is usually fatal soon after birth or during the fetal stage.
• Chromosome 22q13 deletion: A very rare chromosomal disorder where a portion of chromosome 22 is missing at the q13 location which results in various abnormalities.
• Chromosome 22q13.3 deletion syndrome: A very rare chromosomal disorder where a portion of chromosome 22 is missing at the q13.3 location which results in various abnormalities.
• Chromosome 3, monosomy 3p14 p11: A rare chromosomal disorder characterized by facial and limb abnormalities as well as lymphedema.
• 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.
• Chronic Myeloproliferative Disease, Unclassified: A form of blood disorder characterized by the abnormal proliferation of myeloid precursors in the bone marrow. This category refers to cases of myeloproliferative disease which don't fit into any of the other specific type of myelproliferative diseases.
• Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia: A rare form of leukemia characterized by excessive levels of mature neutrophils.
• Chronic 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. The acute form tends to progress relatively slowly and generally responds better to treatment than the other subtypes.
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A cancer of the blood and bone marrow where too many abnormal lymphocytes (white blood cells) are produced which eventually crowds out healthy blood cells in the body.
• Cold-like symptoms: Symptoms similar to the common cold.
• Common Variable Immunodeficiency: An immunodeficiency disorder involving low blood gamma globulin levels which results in an increased susceptibility to infections. The condition may be inherited or can be caused by certain drugs (levamisole, hydantoin and carbamazepine).
• Common cold: Symptoms similar to the common cold.
• Congenital Toxoplasmosis: Fetal infection with toxoplasmosis.
• Congenital tuberculosis: Fetal infection with tuberculosis
• Cryoglobulinemia: These are immune cells that precipitate in the cold and redissolve on warming.
• Cutaneous Anthrax: A skin infection caused by the spores of the anthrax bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. The infection occurs when the spores enter broken skin and result in a small red bump which blisters. The blister ruptures and forms a dark scab over dead tissue.
• 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.
• Cytomegalovirus: A easily transmissible viral infection that is common but generally causes no symptoms except in infants and people with weakened immune systems.
• Dahlberg syndrome: A rare condition characterized by hypoparathyroidism, nephropathy, congenital lymphedema, mitral valve prolapse and short end bones in fingers and toes.
• De Vaal syndrome: A rare condition characterized by the defective development of T-cells, B-cells, thrombocytes and granulocytes. Severe immunodeficiency results which leads to infant death unless a bone marrow transplant is performed.
• Delayed Viral Syndromes: Syndromes caused by viral infections that are delayed in there appearance
• Deletion 22q13: A very rare chromosomal disorder where a portion of chromosome 22 is missing at the q13 location which results in various abnormalities.
• Dengue fever: An acute viral disease characterized by fever, rash and myalgia and caused by a flavivirus which is transmitted by mosquitoes.
• Dental conditions: Conditions that affect ones dentition
• Di Guglielmo I - acute: A rare condition characterized by the presence of abnormal red blood cells in the bone marrow and blood. The condition is characterized by anemia and generally leads to the development of acute myelogenous leukemia. The acute form has more severe symptoms than the chronic form.
• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A common form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by abnormal proliferation of B-lymphocytes. It is a cancer of the B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) which, if untreated, can spread to other parts of the body such as the bones and the liver. It differs from follicular lymphoma in that it is a high-grade lymphoma that usually develops rapidly. Follicular lymphoma often transforms into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
• Diphtheria: Infectious bacterial respiratory disease
• Discoid lupus erythematosus: Form of lupus affecting the skin.
• Disseminated infection with mycobacterium avium complex: Mycobacterium avium complex is an opportunistic bacterium which tends to occur mainly in patients with advanced AIDS. The infection can spread throughout the body and result in such things as blood infections.
• Drug Allergies: Allergies to medications or other drugs.
• Dry socket: Exposure of jaw bone after a tooth extraction
• Ductal carcinoma in situ: Ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS) is a noninvasive condition. DCIS can progress to become invasive cancer, but estimates of the likelihood of this vary widely.
• Ear infection: Any infection of the ear (called otitis)
• East African Trypanosomiasis: East African sleeping sickness from the tsetse fly
• Ectodermal dysplasia - arthrogryposis - diabetes mellitus: A rare syndrome characterized by diabetes, short stature and tooth, hair and nail abnormalities.
• Edema: The abnormal retention of fluid in a given anatomical area
• Enlarged lymph nodes: Where the lymph glands are swollen more than there normal size
• Epstein-Barr virus, chronic: A form of human herpes virus that produces persistent symptoms. Most people become infected with the virus at some stage in their life though they usually have few if any symptoms. However, some people develop severe symptoms as a result of an EBV infection.
• Erysipelas: An infectious skin disease with symptoms such as redness, swelling, fever, large blisters and pain.
• Esophagus symptoms: Symptoms affecting the esophagus (digestive throat passage)
• Fabry's Disease: An inherited metabolic disorder where phospholipids are deposited mostly in the blood vessels as well as other tissues and organs. Symptoms include skin lesions, small red spots on the abdomen, thighs and scrotum, fever, peripheral edema, hypertension and renal failure. Also called angiokeratoma corporis diffusion, Anderson's syndrome, Anderson-Fabry disease, Morbus Anderson-Fabry, Ruiter-Pompen syndrome or Sweeley-Klionsky disease.
• Felty syndrome: A rare complication of long-term rheumatoid arthritis which involves an enlarged spleen and blood abnormalities.
• Fire Coral poisoning: The Fire Coral is a type of jellyfish with a seaweed-like appearance, found in warmer oceans around the world. The fire coral has stinging cells which can deliver a sting to humans. The fire coral has a hard skeletal portion which can also deliver cuts to the skin if it is brushed up against.
• Follicular lymphoma: A form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by an abnormal proliferation of B-lymphocytes. It is a cancer of the B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) which, if untreated, can spread to other parts of the body such as the bones and the liver. It differs from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in that it is a low-grade lymphoma that usually develops slowly. Follicular lymphoma often transforms into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
• Generalised lymphadenopathy: A generalised enlargement of the lymph node glands of the body.
• Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome: A skin condition characterized by the development of red skin bumps on the face, extremities and buttocks. The condition is self-limiting and usually resolves in about 3 weeks. The underlying cause is a viral infection such as Epstein-Barr virus, Coxsackie virus, parainfluenza virus, vaccine-related virus, cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus.
• Gila Lizard poisoning: Gila lizards are one of the few venomous species of lizard. They are found in parts of America such as Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico. Envenomation by lizards is very uncommon but these venomous lizards can cause life-threatening symptoms. Gila lizards tend to hold on with their jaws while biting and the longer the jaws remain attached to the skin, the more severe the poisoning may be.
• Gingivostomatitis: Mouth infection typically from first exposure to cold sores and subsequent viral HSV-1 infection.
• Glanders: An infectious disease caused by a bacterium (Burkholderia mallei). It is usually a disease that affects horses and mules but can also infect other animals and humans. Human infection usually occurs in laboratory settings or in those with prolonged contact with infected animals. Symptoms are determined by whether infection occurs through the skin or via the lungs or blood stream. Bloodstream infections are the most severe and usually result in death within weeks.
• Griscelli disease: A rare genetic disorder characterized mainly by albinism (lack of pigmentation). There are three different subtypes of the disorder (I, II and III) each with varying additional features such as immunodeficiency and neurological symptoms. Type 1 involves partial albinism and neurological symptoms, type II involves partial albinism, immunodeficiency and sometimes neurological symptoms and type III involves albinism, only.
• Griscelli syndrome type II: A rare genetic condition characterized by a partial lack of pigmentation in the eye, skin and hair, clumps of pigmentation in hair shafts, immunodeficiency and neurological symptoms.
• Groin swelling: Swelling in the groin joint area
• Groin symptoms: Symptoms affecting the groin
• HIV/AIDS: HIV is a sexually transmitted virus and AIDS is the progressive immune failure that HIV causes.
• Hand-Schüller-Christian Syndrome: A group of blood disorder involving excess production of histiocytes (type of immune cell) throughout the body. Accumulation of histiocytes results in non-cancerous growths which can damage organs and other body tissues such as bones. Symptom vary hugely and depend on location and size of tumor growths.
• Hashimoto-Pritzker syndrome: A rare harmless skin disorder characterized by the accumulation of histiocytes (infection-fighting cells) in the skin which forms nodules. The condition occurs at birth or soon after and resolves spontaneously within a month.
• Heavy-chain diseases: A group of rare condition characterized by the production of the heavy chain portions of immunoglobulin molecules. Subtypes include y-chain disease, µ-chain disease and α-chain disease.
• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 1: A rare recessively inherited disorder involving an overactive immune system. More specifically, the body becomes infiltrated by large numbers of histiocytes (macrophages) that accumulate in various organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin and central nervous system. It usually only occurs in infants and young children and can be life-threatening.
• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 2: A rare recessively inherited disorder involving an overactive immune system. More specifically, the body becomes infiltrated by large numbers of histiocytes (macrophages) that accumulate in various organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin and central nervous system. It usually only occurs in infants and young children. Type 2 is caused by a defect on chromosome 10q22.
• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 3: A rare recessively inherited disorder involving an overactive immune system. More specifically, the body becomes infiltrated by large numbers of histiocytes (macrophages) that accumulate in various organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin and central nervous system. It usually only occurs in infants and young children. Type 3 is caused by a defect on chromosome 17q25.1.
• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 4: A rare recessively inherited disorder involving an overactive immune system. More specifically, the body becomes infiltrated by large numbers of histiocytes (macrophages) that accumulate in various organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin and central nervous system. It usually only occurs in infants and young children. Type 4 is caused by a defect on chromosome 6q24.
• Hemophagocytic reticulosis: The abnormal proliferation of reticulum cell (histiocytes) which infiltrate various organs and. Macrophages destroy blood cells causing blood abnormalities. Meningoencephalitis frequently occurs when the histiocytes infiltrate the mininges and cerebral tissue. Symptoms start at birth or soon after and become progressively worse without treatment. Medication can control the condition but a hematopoietic stem cell transplant is needed to achieve remission.
• Hip cancer: The presence of tumour growth in the bone of the hip, whether due to primary malignancies e.g. leukaemic or myeloma infiltration of the bone marrow, or due to secondary metastases from another site e.g. lung or breast; cancer affecting bone of hip likely to affect other bones e.g. vertebra, ribs
• Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell: A group of disorders involving the excessive proliferation of histiocytes (macrophages) which are not Langerhans cells. Subgroups of this disorder includes hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, sinus histiocytosis, xanthogranuloma and sea-blue histiocyte syndrome. Sometimes only the skin is involved and in other cases there may be systemic involvement which can cause serious problems.
• Hodgkin disease, X-linked pseudoautosomal: An inherited form of Hodgkin disease which is a common cancer of the lymph node.
• Hodgkin lymphoma, childhood: A type of cancer that originates from lymphocytes (white blood cells). It is more common during adolescence but can occur during childhood.
• Hodgkin lymphoma, during pregnancy: A cancer of the lymph system that occurs during pregnancy. The dilemma is that treatment can't be initiated until the baby is delivered or terminated. If the pregnancy is in the early stages, termination is recommended. If the pregnancy is in the later stages when the lymphoma occurs, the baby is usually delivered as early as safely possible in order to commence cancer treatment as soon as possible. The more prompt the treatment, the better the prognosis.
• Hodgkin's Disease: A form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
• Hodgkin's disease, adult: A type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system in adults. The lymphatic system forms part of the body's immune system. This type of cancer can also occur in children.
• Hodgkin's disease, childhood: A type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system in children. The lymphatic system forms part of the body's immune system. This type of cancer can also occur in children.
• Human T-lymphotropic virus type 3: A former name used for HIV which is an infectious viral disease. The infection usually has an initial symptom-free period which is followed by various stages of increasing severity.
• Hyper IgM syndrome 1: Hyper IgM syndrome is a rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which causes frequent infections involving the ears, eyes, sinuses, lungs, skin, respiratory tract and other areas of the body. Type 1 is caused by a defect on chromosome Xq26 and tends to affects males mostly.
• Hyper IgM syndrome 3: Hyper IgM syndrome is a rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which causes frequent infections involving the ears, eyes, sinuses, lungs, skin, respiratory tract and other areas of the body. Type 3 is caused by a defect on chromosome 20q12-q13.2.
• Hyper-IgM Syndrome: A rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which causes frequent infections involving the ears, eyes, sinuses, lungs, skin, respiratory tract and other areas of the body.
• Hypergammaglobulinemia: An increase in the level of any of a number of gamma globulins. This can result from conditions such as chronic bacterial infections, multiple myeloma, lymphomas, dysproteinemias, liver disease and chronic granulomatous inflammations. The exact symptoms depend on the type of gamma globulins involved and the severity of the condition.
• Hyperimmunoglobinemia D with recurrent fever: A very rare disorder involving a high immunoglobulin level associated with periods of fever which generally reoccur every month or two.
• Hypertrichotic osteochondrodysplasia: A rare syndrome characterized by mental retardation, short stature, large skull, heart anomaly and various other abnormalities.
• Immune symptoms: Symptoms affecting the immune system
• Infection: Infections as a symptom.
• Inflammatory breast cancer: Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive form of invasive breast cancer, where the skin of the breast becomes red, inflamed and pitted in appearance.
• Invasive breast cancer: Invasive breast cancers usually are epithelial tumors of ductal or lobular origin. Features such as size, status of surgical margin, estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR), nuclear and histologic grade, DNA content, S-phase fraction, vascular invasion, tumor necrosis, and quantity of intraductal component are all important in deciding on a course of treatment for any breast tumor.
• Invasive ductal carcinoma: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), sometimes called infiltrating ductal carcinoma, is the most common type of breast cancer. About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas.
• Invasive lobular carcinoma: Invasive lobular carcinoma is a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules) and then invades surrounding tissues.
• Irons-Bhan syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by lymphoedema in the legs, heart defects and a hydrocele (swollen testicles).
• Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: Chronic arthritis affecting children and teens
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A group of chronic inflammatory joint disorders that affects children. The condition generally involves periods of time where the condition is active followed by periods of abatement of symptoms. In some cases, the condition can be systemic and can cause symptoms such as fever and rash with organ involvement. There are three main types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis - oligoarticular, polyarticular and systemic (Still's disease).
• Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia: A rare form of malignant bone marrow cancer that occurs in children and involves the proliferation of immature precursors of certain blood cells - myelocytes and monocytes. The proliferation is slower than in acute forms of the disease.
• Kanzaki disease: A very rare inherited metabolic disorder where deficiency of an enzyme (alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase) causes glycoplids to accumulate in body tissues and result in various symptoms. Type 2 occurs during the second or third decade of life and is milder than type I and doesn't involve neurological degeneration.
• Kaposi sarcoma: A form of cancer caused by a type of herpesvirus that occurs mainly in the skin but may also affect the lymph nodes, internal organs and mucosal areas. There are four forms of the condition: Classical Indolent form, Endemic African KS, iatrogenic KS and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated KS. Symptoms depend on the extent of internal organ and lymphatic system involvement.
• Kaposi sarcoma, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated form: A form of cancer caused by a type of herpesvirus that occurs mainly in the skin but may also occur in lymph nodes, internal organs and mucosal areas. The AIDS-associated form is aggressive and tends to occur mainly on the face, genitals and lower extremities with internal organs often being involved as well. Symptoms depend on the extent of internal organ involvement.
• Kaposi sarcoma, iatrogenic form: A form of cancer caused by a type of herpesvirus that occurs mainly in the skin but may also occur in lymph nodes, internal organs and mucosal areas. The iatrogenic form tends to occur mainly on the lower legs but the internal organs are often involved as well. It generally affects immunosuppressed patients and can be aggressive or fairly benign. Symptoms depend on the extent of internal organ involvement.
• Kawasaki disease: A childhood illness that generally affects the skin, mouth and lymph nodes.
• Kikuchi disease: A rare lymph node disorder which is not cancerous but causes large, inflamed lymph nodes.
• Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A condition which is characterized by proliferation of Langerhans cells
• Large granular lymphocyte leukemia: A form of leukemia characterized by an increased number of circulating granular lymphocytes.
• Leishmaniasis: A rare infectious disease caused by any of a number of parasitic Leishmania species. Infection can cause any of three different manifestations: cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucosal leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis.
• Lemierre's syndrome: A very rare condition where a throat infection leads to secondary infection and blood clot formation in the internal jugular vein. The infected blood clot can then travel to other parts of the body and cause problems. The usual bacterial culprit is Fusobacterium necrophorum.
• Letterer-Siwe disease: A rare usually fatal condition characterized by skin lesions, bleeding tendency, enlarged liver and spleen, enlarged lymph nodes and progressive anemia. The condition is caused by excessive proliferation of histiocytes.
• Leukemia: Cancer of the blood cells, usually white blood cells.
• Leukemia, B-cell, chronic: A slow growing cancer of the immune system involving proliferation of B-cells.
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute, L1: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a 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. There are three main subtypes (L1, L2 and L3) which are differentiated by the appearance of the cancerous cells: L1 is characterized by small, uniform cancer cells with a round nucleus and very little cytoplasm. L1 has a better prognosis than L2. L1 is the main form in children (about 85%) but is less common in adults (about 30%).
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute, L2: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a 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. There are three main subtypes (L1, L2 and L3) which are differentiated by the appearance of the cancerous cells: L2 is characterized by larger cells, an irregular-shaped nucleus, more cytoplasm and significant variation between cells. L2 has a poorer prognosis than L1. L2 is the main form in adults (about 65%) but is less common in children (about 15%).
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute, L3: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a relatively aggressive 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. There are three main subtypes (L1, L2 and L3) which are differentiated by the appearance of the cancerous cells. L3 is quite uncommon but is very similar to Burkitt's lymphoma - in fact, they may be considered the same disease with different manifestations.
• Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute: A cancer of the blood-forming tissues of the bone marrow involving the proliferation of a type of infection-fighting white blood cell called a monocyte. Acute leukemia involves a more rapid proliferation of cancer cells compared to chronic forms of leukemia.
• Leukemia, Myeloid, Philadelphia-Negative: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a relatively aggressive 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. The Philadelphia negative form of the condition is not associated with a genetic mutation. It is distinguished from the positive form by the clinical course which is initially the same but progresses to eventual bone marrow failure without a distinct increase in blast cells. Other differences include poor response to chemotherapy, lower white blood cell counts, greater monocytosis, less basophilia, lower bone marrow myeloid to erythroid ratio and increased likelihood of developing thrombocytopenia. Philadelphia negative patients also tend to be older and median survival rates tend to be poorer.
• Leukemia, Myeloid, Philadelphia-Positive: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a relatively aggressive 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. The Philadelphia form of myeloid leukemia carries the poorest prognosis of all the different types. It involves an acquired genetic mutation which results in the production tyrosine kinase which causes too many white blood cells to be produced which results in a shortage of other blood cell types. Treatment is aimed at inhibiting the production of tyrosine kinase.
• Leukemia, T-Cell: A form of blood cancer characterized by the proliferation of cancerous T-cells which make up part of the body's immune system. The exact symptoms and progression vary depending on the subtype involved.
• Leukemia, T-Cell, Acute: A form of blood cancer characterized by the proliferation of cancerous T-cells which make up part of the body's immune system. The exact symptoms and progression vary depending on the subtype involved. The acute form involves a rapid proliferation of cancerous T-cells and hence a more rapid disease progression and increased severity of symptoms.
• Leukemia, T-cell, chronic: Cancer of blood cells called T-cells which form part of the immune system.
• Leukemia, mast-cell: A very aggressive form of leukemia - a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia. The cancer can in rare cases develop from chronic myeloid leukemia or systemic mastocytosis but generally develops on its own.
• Lip cancer: It is the main type of oral cancer. Cancer involving the lips
• Lipogranulomatosis: A condition where abnormal lipid metabolism results in the development of yellow liquid-filled nodules in the skin and mucosal linings. The tissue surrounding the nodules can become inflamed as a result of these abnormal deposits. Symptoms are variable depending on the number and location of the nodules.
• Listeriosis: Bacterial food poisoning
• Lizard poisoning: A few lizard species are venomous e.g. Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard. Envenomation by lizards is very uncommon but these venomous lizards can cause life-threatening symptoms. Gila lizards tend to hold on with their jaws while biting and the longer the jaws remain attached to the skin, the more severe the poisoning may be.
• Lobular carcinoma in situ: The hollow glands or lobules where milk accumulates in the breast sometimes fill with abnormal ("atypical") cells. This is a precancerous condition and does not directly lead to breast cancer.
• Local anaesthetic allergy: Using Local anaesthetic can cause an allergic response in some people however this is considered rare. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs.
• Locally advanced breast cancer:
• Loiasis: A disease caused by the Loa Loa eye worm which work there way through the skin to the eye where they cause irritation and congestion.
• Lubarsch-Pick syndrome: A rare disorder involving abnormal amyloid deposits in various parts of the body - heart, skin, muscles, stomach and intestines.
• Lupus: Autoimmune disease with numerous effects on various organs and linings.
• Lyme disease: Lyme disease is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia.
• Lymph node neoplasm: Lymph node tumor.
• Lymph symptoms: Symptoms affecting the lymphatic system or lymph nodes
• Lymphadenopathy: Enlarged lymph glands.
• Lymphadenopathy, angioimmunoblastic with dysproteinemia: A progressive immune system disorder that usually affects people over the age of 50 and is characterized by chills, sweating, weight loss, skin rashes.
• Lymphangiectasies and lymphedema Hennekam type: A rare disorder characterized by buildup of lymphatic fluid in the limbs, face and genitals, seizures and mental and growth retardation.
• Lymphangiomatosis, pulmonary: A rare disorder characterized by the presence of numerous small lung cysts at birth which severely affects breathing and blood pressure and generally results in infant death.
• Lymphatic Filariasis: Parasitic worm infection of the lympatic system
• Lymphatic Obstruction: A blockage of the lymph vessels that drain fluid from body tissues and facilitate immune system cell movement through the body. Lymphatic obstruction can be caused by such things as tumors, surgery, injury and infection. Obstruction can be primary (as in the case of inherited conditions such as lymphatic hypoplasia) or secondary (as in the case of infection).
• Lymphatic neoplasm: A tumor that develops in lymphatic tissue. The tumor may be cancerous or benign.
• Lymphatic oedema: Oedema caused by problems with the lymphatic system
• Lymphedema: Swelling of a region due to obstruction of lymphatic vessels
• Lymphedema - ptosis: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by lymphedema (lymphatic obstruction) in the legs and droopy eyelids.
• Lymphedema, congenital: A very disorder present from birth where the lymph system is obstructed. Often, other abnormalities are also present.
• Lymphedema, congenital recessive: A very recessively inherited disorder present from birth where the lymph system is obstructed. Often, other abnormalities may be present.
• Lymphedema, microcephaly and chorioretinopathy syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• Lymphoblastic lymphoma: A cancer of the lymph system which usually involves immature T-lymphocytes and sometimes B-lymphocytes. The cancer usually affects the mediastinum (between the lungs), bone marrow, brain and spinal cord.
• Lymphoedema: Swelling due to the increase of lymphatic fluid in particular are of the body.
• Lymphoedema - Microcephaly - Chorioretinopathy Syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• Lymphoedema - Microcephaly - chorioretinopathy: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• Lymphoedema - lymphangiectasia - mental retardation: A rare disorder characterized by buildup of lymphatic fluid in the limbs, face and genitals, seizures and mental and growth retardation.
• Lymphogranuloma venereum: Type of chlamydia (sexually transmitted disease)
• Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia: A relatively rare form of lung disease characterized by the buildup of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the air spaces or alveoli of the lungs. The condition can affect children or adults and is frequently associated with conditions such as HIV and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Symptoms may develop gradually over a period of months or even years in some cases.
• Lymphoma: Any neoplastic disorder that occurs in lymphoid tissue
• Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Follicular: A cancer of cells in the immune system. The cancer is comprised of large cells and tends to be aggressive and metastasizes readily.
• Lymphoma, large-cell: A cancer of cells in the immune system. The cancer is comprised of large cells and tends to be aggressive and metastasizes readily.
• Lymphoma, large-cell, immunoblastic: A cancer of the immune system characterized by the presence of immunoblasts. Immunoblasts are T cells which have been transformed due to stimulation by an antigen.
• Lymphoma, small cleaved-cell, diffuse: A slow-growing cancer of the lymph system that involves small cells. The diffuse form has no distinguishable pattern of progression through the lymph node.
• Lymphoma, small cleaved-cell, follicular: A slow-growing cancer of the lymph system consisting of small cells that can circulate readily in the blood. The cancer occurs in a follicular pattern. Despite it's ability to spread, the cancer tends to be less aggressive than the large cell variety.
• MLCRD Syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• MSBD syndrome: A rare form of osteosclerosis caused by a lack of calcium in the bones.
• Mansonella streptocerca infection: A parasitic nematode infection which occurs in West Africa and can be transmitted by mosquito bites. The adult worms tend to live in the skin and cause symptoms.
• Mantle cell lymphoma: A form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (a cancer of the B-lymphocytes) which has a very poor prognosis with the 5-year survival rate being about 25%. The lymphoma can spread to other parts of the body such as the liver, spleen or bone marrow.
• Medullary carcionoma: Medullary carcinoma of the breast is a variant of breast cancer. These tumors have a similar presentation to other breast cancers but are distinguished by a characteristic histologic appearance.
• 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.
• Mendelian susceptibility to atypical mycobacteria: A very rare group of disorders where a person without an immune deficiency is susceptible to infection by weak mycobacterial organisms, nontuberculous and environmental mycobacteria e.g. Calmette-Guerin Bacillus (BCG). The severity of the disorder is greatly variable and ranges from a localized recurring non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection to a potentially fatal BCG infection. Most people who are infected with these organisms have no symptoms but a genetic mutation in some people makes them more susceptible.
• Mesenteric Adenitis: Swollen abdominal lymph nodes
• Metaplastic carcinoma: Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm containing a mixture of epithelial and mesenchymal elements.
• Metastatic breast cancer: Metastatic breast cancer is the term used to describe cancer that has spread from the original site in the breast to other organs or tissues in the body.
• Mexican Beaded Lizard poisoning: Gila lizards are one of the few venomous species of lizard. They are found in parts of America such as Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico. Envenomation by lizards is very uncommon but these venomous lizards can cause life-threatening symptoms. Gila lizards tend to hold on with their jaws while biting and the longer the jaws remain attached to the skin, the more severe the poisoning may be.
• Microcephaly - lymphoedema - Chorioretinopathy Dysplasia Syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• Microcephaly - lymphoedema - chorioretinopathy: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, lymphedema and eye anomalies.
• Microcephaly - microphthalmos - blindness: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by a small head, small eyes and blindness.
• Micropapillary carcinoma: Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) is a rare subtype of epithelial tumor of the breast. It has a high incidence of axillary lymph node metastasis, in keeping with an angioinvasive phenotype. IMPC was considered an aggressive subtype of breast carcinoma.
• Mixed sclerosing bone dystrophy: A rare form of osteosclerosis caused by a lack of calcium in the bones.
• Mononucleosis: Common infectious virus.
• Morphine allergy: Taking morphine (a painkiller) can cause an allergic response in some people however this is considered rare. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs.
• Mucinous carcinoma: Mucinous carcinoma is a type of invasive ductal carcinoma. Its distinguishing feature is mucous production. Within the mucous are cancerous cells that are often poorly differentiated, which means that the cells look less like normal cells than well-defined ones.
• Multi-centric Castleman's Disease: A rare disorder characterized by a generalized overgrowth of lymph node tissue which forms a tumor-like growth. This form of Castleman's disease is progressive and can be serious.
• Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis: A rare condition characterized by the proliferation of histiocytes (immune cells) which causes destructive arthritis and skin nodules.
• Multiple joint dislocations - metaphyseal dysplasia: A rare disorder characterized by multiple joint dislocations and abnormal bone development as well as various other anomalies.
• Mumps: An acute viral disease that causes the salivary glands to become swollen, sore and inflamed. Immunization had greatly reduced the incidence of this disease.
• Mycobacterium avium complex infection: Infection with an opportunistic group of bacteria. It tends to occur in immunocompromised people such as those with HIV.
• Myelofibrosis: A rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs it's ability to make blood cells causing symptoms such as anemia and liver and spleen enlargement.
• Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A malignant cancer that occurs in the nasopharynx area which is the upper part of the throat. Often there are no symptoms until the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body such as the neck.
• Neck lump: Lump in the neck area
• Neck swelling: Swelling in or around the neck
• Neck symptoms: Symptoms affecting the neck
• Necrobacillosis: A form of bacterial blood infection caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum which can occur as a complication of throat infections. The infection is potentially fatal and can cause the development of abscesses in various parts of the body including the brain and lungs .
• Neuronal Migration Disorders: Group of disorders caused by abnormal growth of nerves in the brain and head.
• Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: An uncommon form of Hodgkin lymphoma (an immune system cancer) characterized by the presence of nodular lymphocytes representing a nodular growth pattern of the cancer.
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A condition which is any neoplastic disorder of the lymphoid tissue
• Noonan-like/multiple giant cell lesion syndrome: A rare condition characterized by short stature, widely spaced eyes, low-set ears, pulmonary stenosis and lesions on bones, joints or soft tissue. Lymphedema causes swelling that gives a cherubic appearance.
• Novacaine drug allergy: Taking Novacaine (local anesthetic often used in dentistry) can cause an allergic response in some people however this is considered rare. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs.
• OLEDAID: A rare syndrome characterized mainly by a weak immuned system, bone problems, lymphoedema and hair, teeth and nail abnormalities. Death usually occurs during the first few years of life due to overwhelming infections.
• Omenn syndrome: A rare inherited disorder of the immune system involving B and T lymphocytes and characterized by skin rash and frequent infections.
• Omsk hemorrhagic fever: A hemorrhagic fever caused by a virus. A serious outbreak occurred in Omsk and hence the name. Transmission occurs through tick bites. The infection has two phases: the first acute phase involves symptoms such as fever, rash and muscle pain and the second phase occurs after a week or two and involves the central nervous system (e.g. delirium, convulsions).
• Opisthorchiasis: Infection with a type of fluke (Southeast Asian liver fluke or cat liver fluke). Infection usually occurs by consuming infected undercooked fish. Acute infection may cause fever, joint pain, rash, eosinophilia and lymphadenopathy where as chronic infections may cause enlarged liver, malnutrition. Mild cases can cause constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Occasionally, the infection may be asymptomatic and in the other extreme, severe cases may result in complications such as cholangiocarcinoma.
• Opitz-Reynolds-Fitzgerald syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by extra little fingers, deafness and bone abnormalities of the face.
• Oral Ulcer: An open sore inside the mouth.
• POEMS syndrome: A very rare disorder that has widespread effects on the body: P - polyneuropathy, O - organopathy, E - endocrinopathy, M - monoclonal gammopathy, S - skin changes.
• Parathyroid Cancer: A condition that is characterised by malignancy that affects the parathyroid
• Pasteurella multocida: An infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Pasteurella multocida. It is often transmitted through bites and scratches from pets and it can be found in mammals and fowl.
• Pelvic Cancer: Any malignancy that is located in the anatomical location of the pelvis
• Pelvis conditions: Any condition that affects the pelvis
• Penicillin allergy: Taking penicillin (a type of antibiotic) can cause an allergic response in some people. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs. Penicillin allergy is one of the more common types of drug allergies.
• Penis conditions: Any condition that affects the penis
• Penis symptoms: Various symptoms affecting the male penis
• Periorbital cellulitis: Bacterial infection of the superficial tissues surrounding the eyes, often following a conjunctivitis or middle ear infection
• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma: An aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by the proliferation of abnormal T-lymphocytes that circulate in the blood in the peripheral parts of the body. It is a rapidly growing lymphoma.
• Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx.
• Pharyngoconjunctival fever: An infectious disease usually caused by adenovirus type 3. The infection may be acute, epidemic or sporadic and is more common in children. Infection can be transmitted through swimming pools. The incubation period is 5-9 days.
• Pharynx cancer: A condition that is characterised by a malignant lesion located in the pharynx
• Phyllodes tumor: Phyllodes tumour are typically large, fast growing masses that form from the periductal stromal cells of the breast. They account for less than 1% of all breast neoplasms.
• Pinta: A tropical American skin disease that only affects dark-skinned races. It is caused by an organism the causes thickening and loss of pigmentation of the skin.
• Plague: Any epidemic disease with a high death rate.
• Plasma cell leukemia: A form of leukemia characterized by the proliferation of plasma cells in the peripheral blood system. The prognosis is generally poor for this usually aggressive condition.
• Polyarthritis, systemic: A chronic inflammatory disease (usually autoimmune) that causes inflammation in multiple parts of the body and causes arthritis in five or more joints.
• Postperfusion syndrome: A complication that can occasionally occur following blood transfusion. The condition is believed to be caused by Ebstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus present in the transfused blood.
• Poxviridae disease: A group of infectious diseases that cause puss filled skin eruptions. Chicken pox and small pox are examples.
• Pre-invasive breast cancer:
• Primary Lymphatic Obstruction: A blockage of the lymph vessels from birth. Lymph vessels drain fluid from body tissues and facilitate immune cell movement through the body. Primary obstruction can be the result of underdeveloped or malformed lymph vessels.
• Primary malignant lymphoma: The excessive proliferation of lymphocytes which forms part of the immune system. Primary cancers refer to the fact that the cancer originated in the lymph cells rather than having metastasized.
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown etiology that is recognized increasingly in children.
• Prolymphocytic leukemia: A very rare type of leukemia involving a proliferation of immature white blood cells (prolymphocytes - T-cells).
• Proximal spinal muscular atrophy: A rare group of muscle disorders which mainly affects the muscles closest to the trunk of the body. Muscles become progressively weak and wasted due to damage to motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem.
• Puss caterpillar poisoning: The puss caterpillar has hollow, poison-filled spines amongst the hairs along its body. It is found mainly in the southern states of the United states. It is often found feeding on trees such as elm, oak and sycamore. Contact with the poisonous spines can result in various symptoms. The puss caterpillar is one of the more poisonous stinging caterpillars. Children tend to be more severely affected than adults.
• Queensland tick typhus: Form of typhus from North-Australian ticks
• Quinsy: Tonsil abscess
• Rademacher disease: A disorder characterized by reduced immunity and enlarged lymph nodes.
• Rat-bite fever: A disease caused by a rat bite where the patient becomes infected by a bacteria (causes skin ulceration and recurrent fever) or a fungus (causes skin inflammation, muscle pain and vomiting). Also called sodokosis.
• Respiratory diphtheria: Lung infection from Diphtheria
• Reticuloendotheliosis: An inherited disorder of the reticuloendothelial system which is involved in destroying bacteria and other unwanted substances that enter the body.
• Retinal telangiectasia and hypogammaglobulinemia: A rare disorder characterized by the association of poor immunity with dilated retinal blood vessels.
• Rhabditida Infections: Infection with a parasitic worm from the order rhabditida. The symptoms are determined by the species involved.
• Rhabdomyosarcoma: Soft tissue cancer occurring in children
• 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.
• Rib symptoms: Symptoms affecting the ribs
• Richter syndrome: A rare but serious form of acute adult leukemia. The disease occurs when chronic lymphocytic leukemia transforms into diffuse large cell lymphoma which is a fast-growing form of lymphoma. The condition tends to be more common in older adults.
• 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
• Rosai-Dorfman disease: A rare condition characterized by excessive production and accumulation of a particular white blood cell (histiocyte). Accumulation primarily occurs in the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, but may also occur in the skin, central nervous system, digestive tract and kidneys.
• 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.
• Salivary gland cancer: Salivary gland cancer is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the salivary glands in the mouth, neck or throat
• Sarcoid: A fleshy tumor.
• Sarcoidosis: Rare autoimmune disease usually affecting the lungs.
• Sarcoma: Any cancer of the connective tissue.
• Scarlet fever: A complication of infection from strep bacteria such as strep throat.
• Scarletina (Scarlet Fever): Infection with a Group A streptococcus bacteria, which causes a characteristic sore throat and rash.
• Schnitzler syndrome: A rare syndrome characterized by the association of chronic urticaria as well as a blood abnormality called macroglobulinemia.
• Scrub typhus: Type of typhus usually caught from ticks
• Sea snake poisoning: The Sea snake is a poisonous snake found in the warmer western parts of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Sea snakes have scales but not gills or fins so they still need to go to the surface of the water to breathe. Sea snake venom is particularly poisonous but their bite fails to achieve any significant envenomation. The venom is toxic to the nervous system and muscles.
• Sea wasp poisoning: The sea wasp can deliver a serious sting and can be found in the waters of Northern Australia and the Philippines. Death can occur in as little as a few minutes if a person is severely stung.
• Sea wasp poisoning (Chiropsalmus quadrigatus): The Chiropsalmus quadrigatus jellyfish can deliver a serious sting and can be found in the waters of Northern Australia and the Philippines. Death can occur in as little as a few minutes if a person is severely stung.
• Sea wasp poisoning - Chironex fleckeri: The Chironex fleckeri jellyfish is one of the deadliest jellyfish in the world. It can deliver a serious sting and can be found mainly in the waters of Northern Australia and the Philippines. Death can occur in as little as a few minutes if a person is severely stung.
• 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 Lymphatic Obstruction: A blockage of the lymph vessels that occurs secondary to some other condition such as infection. Lymph vessels drain fluid from body tissues and facilitate immune cell movement through the body. Secondary lymphatic obstruction can be caused by such things as tumors, surgery, injury and infection.
• Secondary syphilis: A condition which is characterized by fever, multiform skin eruptions, iritis, alopecia, mucous patches and severe pain in the head and joints
• Serum sickness: Type of allergic reaction to certain medications or serums
• Severe combined immunodeficiency, atypical: A rare blood disorder where the body's immune system is not functioning properly due to a deficiency of certain T lymphocytes and other T lymphocytes which are unable to be utilized.
• Sezary syndrome: A rare type of lymphoma characterized by skin redness, leukemia and enlarged lymph nodes.
• Shaver's disease: A progressive lung disorder caused by exposure to aluminium oxide which is present in bauxite fumes. The condition involves inflammation and damage to the air sacs in the lungs.
• Siccardi syndrome: A rare disorder characterized by impaired immunity (due to defective bacterial destruction by neutrophils), lymphadenopathy and abnormal skin and hair color.
• Sinus symptoms: Symptoms affecting the sinuses
• Sinusitis: Inflammation of the sinus passages (as a symptom)
• Sjogren's syndrome, juvenile, secondary to autoimmune disease: An autoimmune disorder that affects the glands involved in tear and saliva production as well as gastrointestinal tract moisture. It can occur as a secondary condition associated with other autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Sjögren syndrome, primary: An autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks parts of the body that produce moisture such as the eyes, mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Sjögren syndrome can occur on its own (primary) or with another connective tissue disease (secondary) such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. The condition can be mild or severe.
• Sjögren syndrome, secondary: An autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks parts of the body that produce moisture such as the eyes, mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Sjögren syndrome can occur on its own (primary) or with another connective tissue disease (secondary) such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. The condition can be mild or severe.
• Skin infection: Infection or inflammation of the skin.
• Skin infections: Infection or inflammation of the skin.
• Smith disease: A harmless condition involving increased lymphocyte levels which may manifest as a variety of symptoms or may be asymptomatic. Diseases such as whooping cough and German measles are believed to be possible causes. The disease most commonly occurs in children and young adults.
• Smoldering 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. The smoldering form tends to progress even slower than the chronic form and responds the best to treatment.
• Sore throat: Discomfort in the throat or with swallowing
• Sphingolipidosis: A group of diseases involving the abnormal metabolism and storage of a substance called sphingolipid. Symptoms will vary depending on the disease. Examples of diseases from this group include gangliosidosis, Gaucher's disease and Niemann-Pick disease.
• Spirochetes disease: Infection with a type of bacteria which is often found in mud, sewage and polluted water. Symptoms are determined by the species involved. Diseases caused by this bacteria include Treponema infection and borreliosis.
• Spleen neoplasm: A tumor that originates in the spleen.
• Spotted fevers: An acute condition caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii
• Squamous Cell Skin Cancer: Aggressive skin cancer arising due to sun exposure; lesions are locally invasive to surrounding tissues and may metastasise
• Stachybotrys chartarum: A toxic black slimy mold that can be found in damp indoor environments. Exposure can occur through the skin, ingestion or inhalation. It can causes conditions such as "sick building syndrome".
• Still's Disease, Adult-Onset: A form of arthritic inflammation characterized by fever, rash and joint pain that occurs in adults. The cause is unknown.
• Strep throat: An infection which occurs in the throat
• Streptococcal Group A invasive disease: Group A streptococci are bacteria which are commonly found in the throat or on the skin. Often it causes no symptoms but in some cases it can cause mild illnesses such as strep throat or more serious, life-threatening diseases such as toxic shock syndrome or flesh-eating disease. Transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin sores or nose and throat discharges. Symptoms are determined by the location and extent of the bacterial infection.
• Sulfa antibiotics allergy: Taking sulfa antibiotics can cause an allergic response in some people however this is considered rare. It involves the body's immune system overreacting to the drug. The type and severity of symptoms can vary considerable though skin symptoms are the most common allergic response to drugs.
• Sulfone syndrome: A hypersensitivity reaction to sulfone which is a component of a drug called dapsone which is often used to treat skin conditions such as leprosy, vasculitis, dermatitis herpetiformis and Sweet disease. The reaction can result in death in some cases.
• Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: A rare condition where the third portion of the duodenum is compressed between two large blood vessels - the aorta and superior mesenteric artery.
• Swelling symptoms: Symptoms causing swelling or enlargement.
• Swollen glands: Swelling of glands or lymph nodes
• Swollen lymph glands: The occurrence of lymph glands which are swollen
• Swollen neck lymph nodes: Swollen lymph nodes in the neck region
• Syphilis: A sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacteria (Treponema pallidum). The condition is often asymptomatic in the early stages but one or more sores may be present in the early stages. Untreated syphilis usually results in remission of visible symptoms but further severe damage may occur to internal organs and other body tissues which can result in death.
• Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: Onset of JRA with fevers and systemic symptoms
• Systemic mastocytosis: A condition which is characterized by an accumulation of mast cells in the tissues of the body
• Sézary syndrome: A rare type of lymphoma characterized by skin redness, leukemia and enlarged lymph nodes.
• T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Cancer of particular white blood cells called T-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.
• T-cell lymphoma 1A: T-cell lymphoma 1A is a type of cancer that has genetic origins. The genetic defect is located on chromosome 14q32.1. The anomaly is usually implicated in t-cell prolymphocytic leukemia. The cancer is usually aggressive and tends to target the blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver, spleen and skin. The cancer is generally quite rare and tends to occur in people over the age of 30.
• T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia: A form of cancer which causes proliferation of T-cells in the intermediate stage of development.
• Tang Hsi Ryu syndrome: A rare syndrome characterized by enlarged liver and spleen, increased pigmentation and abnormal peripheral nerve functioning.
• Thymic epithelial tumor: A tumor that develops in the outer layers (epithelial) layers of the thymus. The tumor may be malignant or benign. The thymus produces white blood cells.
• Thyroid cancer, Hurthle cell: A rare form of cancer that originates in the thyroid gland. This cancer is characterized by the abnormal presence of Hurthle cells which may signify benign or malignant thyroid cancer. The cancer usually responds well to treatment if detected in the earlier stages.
• Thyroid cancer, anaplastic: A thyroid gland cancer that is quite aggressive and metastasizes to other parts of the body.
• Thyroid cancer, follicular: A usually slow-growing cancer of the thyroid gland which is rarely fatal. The cancer develops from cells in the thyroid that produce iodine-containing hormones. This type of cancer usually responds well to treatment.
• Thyroid cancer, medullary: Cancer of the thyroid gland. The cancer develops from the parafollicular cells or in the thyroid gland which produced calcitonin. This type of cancer does not respond to treatment as well as papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. This form of thyroid cancer may be inherited.
• Thyroid cancer, papillary: A usually slow-growing cancer of the thyroid gland which is rarely fatal. The cancer develops from cells in the thyroid that produce iodine-containing hormones. This type of cancer usually responds well to treatment.
• Thyroid symptoms: Symptoms affecting the thyroid gland
• Tonsilitis: Inflammation of the tonsils in the throat.
• Toxoplasmosis: Infection often caught from cats and their feces.
• Treponema infection: A rare infectious diseases which is transmitted through sexual contact and caused by Treponema pallidum (a spirochete bacterium). Untreated cases can result in severe complications and even death.
• Trypanosomiasis, east-African: A rare infectious disease caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and is transmitted through the bite of an infected Tsetse fly. The infection causes an acute illness with symptoms occurring from days to weeks after infection. Death relatively common, especially in untreated cases.
• Tuberculosis: Bacterial infection causing nodules forming, most commonly in the lung.
• Tubular carcinoma: Tubular carcinoma is a rare type of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. It takes its name from its microscopic appearance, in which the cancer cells resemble small tubes. Tubular carcinomas tend to be small, estrogen-receptor positive, HER2/neu negative. In some cases, tubular cancer cells are mixed with ductal or lobular cancer cells, giving a mixed-tumor diagnosis.
• Tularemia: A rare infections disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis (a gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacillus). Transmission occurs through contact with infected animals or there habitats e.g. bites from infected insects or other animals, eating infected wild animals, contact with contaminated water and soil. Symptoms can vary greatly depending on the method of infection. For example infection through inhalation can cause symptoms similar to pneumonia, eating infected animals can cause a sore throat and abdominal symptoms and transmission through the skin can cause result in a painful skin ulcer.
• Turner Syndrome: Rare chromosome syndrome with one X but no second X or Y chromosome.
• Typhus: A general name for various arthropod-borne rickettsial infections
• Underarm symptoms: Symptoms affecting the underarm area
• Upper Respiratory Infection: The occurrence of an infection of the upper respiratory tract
• Upper respiratory infection: The occurrence of an infection of the upper respiratory tract
• Urethral cancer: A rare cancer that develops in the urethra which carries urine from the bladder to be excreted.
• Vaccinia: A cowpox virus that was initially used for human smallpox vaccines.
• Venezuelan equine encephalitis: A mosquito-borne virus that usually affects horses and related animals but may also infect humans. Young, weak and old people may become very sick and in some cases death can occur. It occurs in Central and South America. The incubation period is 2-5 days. The period of illness is usually 3-8 days but relapses are possible.
• Viral diseases: Any disease that is caused by a virus
• Virus associated hemophagocytic syndrome: A fulminant condition characterised by viral infection causing multiple organ infiltrates of haemophagocytic histiocytes.
• Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar): A rare infectious disease caused by any of a number of parasitic Leishmania species. Infection can cause any of three different manifestations: cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucosal leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis infection involves the spleen, liver and bone marrow and can be fatal if untreated.
• WT limb blood syndrome: A rare genetic disorder characterized by blood and limb abnormalities.
• Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia: A plasma cell dyscrasia that resembles leukaemia
• West African Trypanosomiasis: West African sleeping sickness from the tsetse fly
• West Nile fever: Mosquito-borne infectious virus.
• Western equine encephalitis: An infectious disease caused by an arbovirus (Alphavirus - Togaviraidae) and transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The infection primarily attacks that central nervous system and severity can range from asymptomatic to severe complications and even death in rare cases.
• 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.
• X chromosome, duplication Xq13 1 q21 1: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X chromosome, monosomy Xp22 pter: A condition that is characterised by the occurrence of only one X chromosome in the genotype of an individual
• X chromosome, monosomy Xq28: A condition that is characterised by the occurrence of only one X chromosome in the genotype of an individual
• X chromosome, trisomy 26-28: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X chromosome, trisomy Xp3: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X chromosome, trisomy Xpter Xq13: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X chromosome, trisomy Xq: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X chromosome, trisomy Xq25: A condition characterised by the duplication of the long arm of chromosome X.
• X-linked agammaglobulinaemia: A condition that is characterised by the x linked inheritance of the absence of all immunoglobulins in the blood
• X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome: A rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder where the body's immune systm is unable to respond appropriately to certain viral infections (Epstein Barr virus).
• Yaws: A rare infections disease caused by the spiral-shaped bacteria Treponema pertenue. The disease consists of three phases: skin lesions are followed by bone, joint and widespread skin symptoms and finally by inflammation and destruction of cartilage in the nose, pharynx and palate. Transmission can be through direct contact with infected skin, insect bites or sex.
• Yellow sac spider poisoning: The yellow sac spider is a small spider found in Hawaii, eastern US, Utah and New England. The spider tends to hold on very tightly when it bites and often has to be physically removed. The venom contains a toxin which kills cells. Skin and sometimes systemic symptoms result - symptoms experience can vary amongst patients.

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• Surveys
• Join in at the forums

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Surveys relating to Swollen lymph nodes
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City