BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuScrofulaTuberculous adenitis; Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis; TB - scrofulaScrofula is a tuberculosis infection of the lymph nodes in the neck.TuberculosisPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Scrofula is most often caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are many other types of mycobacterium bacteria that cause scrofula.Scrofula is usually caused by breathing in air that is contaminated with mycobacterium bacteria. The bacteria then travel from the lungs to lymph nodes in the neck. Symptoms Symptoms of scrofula are:Fevers (rare) Painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck and other areas of the body Swelling of lymph nodesLymph nodes are present throughout your body. They are an important part of your immune system. Lymph nodes help your body recognize and fight germ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sores (rare) Sweating Exams and Tests Tests to diagnose scrofula include:Biopsy of affected tissue BiopsyA biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue for laboratory examination.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-rays CT scan of the neck CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cultures to check for the bacteria in tissue samples taken from the lymph nodes HIV blood test (if positive, treatment would be modified) PPD test (also called TB test) PPD testThe PPD skin test is a method used to diagnose silent (latent) tuberculosis (TB) infection. PPD stands for purified protein derivative.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other tests for tuberculosis (TB) including blood tests to detect if you have been exposed to TB Treatment When infection is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, treatment usually involves 9 to 12 months of antibiotics. Several antibiotics need to be used at once. Common antibiotics for scrofula include:Ethambutol Isoniazid (INH) Pyrazinamide Rifampin When infection is caused by another type of mycobacteria (which often occurs in children), treatment usually involves antibiotics such as: Rifampin Ethambutol Clarithromycin Surgery is sometimes used first. It may also be done if the medicines are not working. Outlook (Prognosis) With treatment, people often make a complete recovery. Possible Complications These complications may occur from this infection:Draining sore in the neck Scarring When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child has a swelling or group of swellings in the neck. Scrofula can occur in children who have not been exposed to someone with tuberculosis. Prevention People who have been exposed to someone with tuberculosis of the lungs should have a PPD test.Open ReferencesReferencesPasternack MS. Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 95.Wenig BM. Non-neoplastic lesions of the neck. In: Wenig BM, ed. Atlas of Head and Neck Pathology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 12.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Pulmonary tuberculosis(Condition) Review Date: 12/4/2022 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
ScrofulaTuberculous adenitis; Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis; TB - scrofulaScrofula is a tuberculosis infection of the lymph nodes in the neck.TuberculosisPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Scrofula is most often caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are many other types of mycobacterium bacteria that cause scrofula.Scrofula is usually caused by breathing in air that is contaminated with mycobacterium bacteria. The bacteria then travel from the lungs to lymph nodes in the neck. Symptoms Symptoms of scrofula are:Fevers (rare) Painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck and other areas of the body Swelling of lymph nodesLymph nodes are present throughout your body. They are an important part of your immune system. Lymph nodes help your body recognize and fight germ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sores (rare) Sweating Exams and Tests Tests to diagnose scrofula include:Biopsy of affected tissue BiopsyA biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue for laboratory examination.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Chest x-rays CT scan of the neck CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cultures to check for the bacteria in tissue samples taken from the lymph nodes HIV blood test (if positive, treatment would be modified) PPD test (also called TB test) PPD testThe PPD skin test is a method used to diagnose silent (latent) tuberculosis (TB) infection. PPD stands for purified protein derivative.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other tests for tuberculosis (TB) including blood tests to detect if you have been exposed to TB Treatment When infection is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, treatment usually involves 9 to 12 months of antibiotics. Several antibiotics need to be used at once. Common antibiotics for scrofula include:Ethambutol Isoniazid (INH) Pyrazinamide Rifampin When infection is caused by another type of mycobacteria (which often occurs in children), treatment usually involves antibiotics such as: Rifampin Ethambutol Clarithromycin Surgery is sometimes used first. It may also be done if the medicines are not working. Outlook (Prognosis) With treatment, people often make a complete recovery. Possible Complications These complications may occur from this infection:Draining sore in the neck Scarring When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child has a swelling or group of swellings in the neck. Scrofula can occur in children who have not been exposed to someone with tuberculosis. Prevention People who have been exposed to someone with tuberculosis of the lungs should have a PPD test.Open ReferencesReferencesPasternack MS. Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 95.Wenig BM. Non-neoplastic lesions of the neck. In: Wenig BM, ed. Atlas of Head and Neck Pathology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 12.