Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: the first reported case in Croatia

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is an extremely rare disease known to have a worldwide distribution with higher prevalence among Japanese and other Asiatic individuals. KFD presents as benign and self-limited disorder, characterized by regional cervical lymphadenopathy with tenderness, usually accompanied with mild to high fever and night sweats. Less frequent symptoms include weight loss, nausea, vomiting and sore throat. Final diagnosis can only be determined on the basis of typical morphological changes in the lymph node, therefore lymph node biopsy is crucial for proving the diagnosis. Here we present a 16-year-old, native Croatian, Caucasian girl with KFD, as a first case of KFD reported in Croatia. We suggest that this disease should be considered as a possible cause of fever of the unknown origin followed by lymphadenopathy.