Ciencias de la Salud- Caso clínico

Adenopatías persistentes en un lactante: tuberculosis ganglionar con seropositividad para Toxocara canis y Bartonella henselae

Persistent lymphadenopathy in an infant: tuberculous lymphadenitis with seropositivity for Toxocara canis and Bartonella henselae

Autores/as

Resumen

Las adenopatías persistentes en pediatría representan un reto diagnóstico debido a la diversidad de etiologías infecciosas involucradas; la tuberculosis extrapulmonar corresponde al 20–30% de los casos pediátricos, siendo la linfadenitis tuberculosa una de sus formas más frecuentes. Se presenta un lactante masculino de 1 año y 4 meses con fiebre persistente, lesiones cutáneas pruriginosas y adenopatías cervicales e inguinales progresivas sin respuesta a antibióticos. Los estudios evidenciaron leucocitosis, trombocitosis y ecografía cervical con necrosis ganglionar. La biopsia mostró material caseoso y purulento, confirmándose tuberculosis ganglionar mediante PCR/ADN en ganglio y secreción. Adicionalmente, se documentó seropositividad para Toxocara canis y Bartonella henselae, ampliando el diagnóstico diferencial. El paciente recibió tratamiento antifímico y albendazol, con evolución favorable. Este caso resalta la importancia del abordaje sindrómico y de la confirmación microbiológica temprana en adenopatías persistentes pediátricas.

Persistent lymphadenopathy in pediatrics represents a diagnostic challenge due to the wide range of infectious etiologies involved; extrapulmonary tuberculosis accounts for 20–30% of pediatric tuberculosis cases, with tuberculous lymphadenitis being one of its most common forms. We present the case of a 1-year-4-month-old male infant with persistent fever, pruritic skin lesions, and progressive cervical and inguinal lymphadenopathy unresponsive to antibiotic therapy. Laboratory tests showed leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and cervical ultrasound findings of nodal necrosis. Lymph node biopsy revealed caseous and purulent material, and tuberculosis lymphadenitis was confirmed by PCR/DNA testing of the lymph node and purulent secretion. Additionally, seropositivity for Toxocara canis and Bartonella henselae was documented, broadening the differential diagnosis. The patient received anti-tuberculosis therapy and albendazole, with favorable clinical evolution. This case highlights the importance of a syndromic approach and early microbiological confirmation in persistent pediatric lymphadenopathy.

Palabras clave

  • tuberculosis ganglionar
  • adenopatías persistentes
  • lactante
  • toxocara canis
  • bartonella henselae

Referencias

Deosthali A, Donches K, DelVecchio M, Aronoff S. Etiologies of Pediatric Cervical Lymphadenopathy: A Systematic Review of 2687 Subjects. Global Pediatric Health. 2019;6:2333794X19865440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X19865440

World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2024. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2024?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. Tratamiento de la infección por tuberculosis, tuberculosis sensible y resistente: Guía de Práctica Clínica. Quito: MSP; 2024. Disponible en: Guía de Práctica Clínica Tuberculosis Ecuador 2024

Yu TZ, Pang Y, Du J, et al. Diagnostic value of ultrasound in cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis. Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery. 2021;11(6):2587-2598. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21037/qims-20-842

Öcal Demir S, Bayhan GI, Tanır G. Cat scratch disease and differential diagnosis in persistent lymphadenopathy in children. Children. 2024;11(3):310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11030310

Rostami A, Riahi SM, Holland CV, et al. Seroprevalence estimates for toxocariasis in people worldwide: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2019;13(12):e0007809. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007809

Chen J, Zhou DH, Nisbet AJ, et al. Advances in molecular identification, taxonomy, genetic variation and diagnosis of Toxocara spp. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2020;9(1):85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-020-00692-2

Florin TA, Zaoutis TE, Zaoutis LB. Beyond cat scratch disease: widening spectrum of Bartonella henselae infection. Pediatrics. 2020;146(4):e20200018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-0018

Kay AW, Verkuijl SE, et al. Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay for tuberculosis disease and rifampicin resistance in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2025;1(1):CD013359. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013359.pub3

Harris JE, Patel NN, Wai K, Rosbe KW. Management of Pediatric Persistent Asymptomatic Cervical Lymphadenopathy. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2024;170(1):69-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ohn.420

Pecora F, Abate L, Scavone S, Petrucci I, Costa F, Caminiti C, et al. Management of Infectious Lymphadenitis in Children. Children. 2021;8(10):860. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children8100860

Baykan AH, Sayiner HS, Aydin E, Koc M, Inan I, Erturk SM. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis: an old but resurgent problem. Insights into Imaging. 2022;13(1):39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13244-022-01172-0

Kumar N, Khan A, Boora S, et al. Diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis by molecular and immunological tools. Medical Microecology. 2024;22:100116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medmic.2024.100116

Martinez L, Cords O, Horsburgh CR Jr, Andrews JR; Pediatric TB Contact Studies Consortium. The risk of tuberculosis in children after close exposure: a systematic review and individual-participant meta-analysis. Lancet. 2020;395(10228):973-984. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30166-5

Magnaval JF, Bouhsira E, Fillaux J. Therapy and Prevention for Human Toxocariasis. Microorganisms. 2022;10(2):241. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020241

Deregibus MI, Bagnara EI, Buchovsky A. Cat-scratch disease: experience in a tertiary care children’s hospital. Archivos Argentinos de Pediatria. 2023;121(1):e202202592. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5546/aap.2022-02592

Nawrocki CC, Max RJ, Marzec NS, Nelson CA. Atypical Manifestations of Cat-Scratch Disease, United States, 2005-2014. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2020;26(7):1438-1446. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2607.200034

Fusani L, Venturini E, Chiappini E, Galli L. Cat scratch disease in childhood: a 10-year experience of an Italian tertiary care children’s hospital. World Journal of Pediatrics. 2023;19(2):189-193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-022-00616-3

Hermans SM, et al. Post-tuberculosis treatment paradoxical reactions. Infection. 2024;52(5):2083-2095. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-024-02310-0

Cunningham ET Jr, Zierhut M. Ocular Toxocariasis. Ocular Immunology and Inflammation. 2021;29(7-8):1243-1245. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2021.2018825

Publicado

1 de octubre de 2026

Historial

Recibido
12 jul 2026
Aceptado
16 ago 2026
Publicado
1 oct 2026

Métricas

112 descargas

  1. 2026-04: 0
  2. 2026-05: 0
  3. 2026-06: 0
  4. 2026-07: 0
  5. 2026-08: 0
  6. 2026-09: 0
  7. 2026-10: 112

últimos 7 meses

Cómo citar

Romero Lorenti, D. J., Valdez Santos, S. I., Idrovo Alvarado, V. A., & Alcívar Aveiga, D. S. (2026). Adenopatías persistentes en un lactante: tuberculosis ganglionar con seropositividad para Toxocara canis y Bartonella henselae. Revista Multidisciplinaria Investigación Contemporánea, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.58995/redlic.rmic.v4.n4.a249