Infectious causes of cervical lymphadenitis in children

Presentation	Common	Uncommon	Rare
Acute bilateral	Rhinovirus Epstein-Barr virus^¶ Cytomegalovirus^¶ Herpes simplex virus Adenovirus Enterovirus Mycoplasma pneumoniae Group A Streptococcus Arcanobacterium haemolyticum Influenza	Roseola^¶ Parvovirus B19^¶	Corynebacterium diphtheriae Rubella^¶ Measles Mumps^¶
Acute unilateral	Staphylococcus aureus Group A Streptococcus Anaerobic bacteria	Group B Streptococcus Tularemia* Alpha Streptococcus Pasteurella multocida Yersinia pestis^¶ Gram-negative bacilli	Yersinia enterocolitica* Anthrax
Subacute/chronic bilateral	Epstein-Barr virus^¶ Cytomegalovirus^¶	HIV^¶ Toxoplasmosis^¶ Tuberculosis^¶ Syphilis^¶	Brucellosis^¶ Histoplasmosis^¶
Subacute/chronic unilateral	Nontuberculous mycobacteria Cat scratch disease	Toxoplasmosis^¶ Tuberculosis^¶ Actinomycosis^¶	Nocardia brasiliensis Aspergillosis Sporotrichosis

* Infection can persist and become more chronic in appearance.
¶ Often associated with generalized lymphadenopathy.

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