Tuberculous Adenitis with Concurrent Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Report

Abstract

The concomitant occurrence of tuberculous adenitis and Hodgkin lymphoma is rare, posing a diagnostic dilemma since both have similar symptoms, such as lymphadenopathy, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. We reported such a case in a 15-year-old girl who presented with fever and neck swelling and was found to have lymphadenopathy. A biopsy of the right supraclavicular lymph node showed Reed-Sternberg cells and stained positive for acid-fast bacilli and tuberculosis culture. The patient was diagnosed with tuberculous adenitis with concurrent Hodgkin lymphoma in the same lymph node. She was started on anti-tubercular medications and chemotherapy and showed clinical improvement. This case highlights the need for suspicion in order to identify these two disorders in the same patient, since missing one of them is possible and may lead to fatal complications.

Keywords

• hodgkin disease
• tuberculosis
• lymphadenopathy