Scrofula (patient information)

Scrofula
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Scrofula?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Scrofula is a tuberculous infection of the lymph nodes in the neck.

What are the symptoms of Scrofula?

• Fevers (rare)
• Painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck and elsewhere in body
• Sores (ulceration -- rare)
• Sweats

What causes Scrofula?

Scrofula in adults is most often caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In children, can also be caused by Mycobacterium scrofulaceum or Mycobacterium avium.

Infection with mycobacteria is usually caused by breathing in air that is contaminated by these organisms.

Diagnosis

Tests to diagnose scrofula include:

• Biopsy of affected tissue
• Chest x-rays
• CT scan of the neck
• Cultures to check for the bacteria in tissue samples taken from the lymph nodes
• HIV blood test
• TB tine or PPD test
• Quantiferon gold blood test

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if 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.

Treatment options

When infection is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, treatment usually involves 9 - 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 bacteria (which often occurs in children), therapy usually involves antibiotics such as rifampin, ethambutol, and clarithromycin.

Surgery is sometimes used as initial treatment, depending on circumstances. It may also be used if medications are not working on the infection.

Where to find medical care for Scrofula?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition

Prevention

People who have been exposed to someone with tuberculosis of the lungs should have a PPD test.

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

With treatment, patients usually make a complete recovery.

Possible complications

• Draining sore in the neck
• Scarring

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001354.htm