Cervical lymphadenitis--a rare case of focal listeriosis.

Cervical lymphadenopathy is a condition with a broad differential diagnosis. Malignant tumors, allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases as well as various infectious agents can be the cause. We report the case of a 75-year-old man who had a cervical lymphadenopathy without symptoms of infection. The draining lymph nodes were excised. Histology revealed a granulomatous abscess and culture yielded pure growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Because food is occasionally contaminated with L. monocytogenes, the pathogenesis of this condition may be similar to that of lymph node tuberculosis.