Russell Body Cervicitis Presenting with Contact Bleeding: A Case Report

Abstract

Russell bodies are large (2-3 μm diameter) homogenous hyaline immunoglobulin inclusions, often single, seen in plasma cells displacing the nucleus to a side. When a plasma cell contains multiple vacuoles or inclusions, they are called mott cells. Russell body cervicitis is a rare inflammatory pathology in cervix, characterised by marked infiltration of plasma cells and mott cells. Very little is known about the aetiology, pathogenesis and natural course of this condition. Hereby, authors report an unusual case of a 41-year-old female, who presented with complaints of postcoital bleeding for two weeks. On clinical examination, a small cervical polyp was found and biopsied. Microscopy showed an endocervical polyp with stroma showing dense intense infiltration with plasma cells and multiple mott cells with russell bodies. The cells showed positive immunoreactivity for CD138, kappa and lambda. The histological changes in chronic cervicitis are non specific with a mixed inflammation composed of lymphocytes, plasma cells, histiocytes and stromal fibrosis. However a presentation of sheet like plasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate in the cervix accompanied by numerous russell bodies is a rare histologic finding with very few published literature. A similar histological pattern has been recorded in other sites, including russell body gastritis, a recently recognised pseudotumoral lesion of stomach. Authors have presented this case to contribute to the few articles of russell body cervicitis in literature.

Keywords

• chronic cervicitis
• mott cells
• plasmacytoma
• plasma cells
• positive immunoreactivity