Kikuchi–Fujimoto disease type lymph node reaction with increased plasmacytoid dendritic cells may appear as a side effect following COVID-19 vaccination: Report of a case and literature review

Abstract

Subsequent to mass vaccination programs against COVID-19, diverse side effects have been described, both at the injection site, such as pain, redness and swelling, and systemic effects such as fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain. On rare occasions, a lymphadenopathic syndrome may develop, raising the clinical suspicion of a lymphoproliferative disorder. We present the case of a 30-year-old woman who developed self-limiting left axillary lymphadenopathy following COVID-19 vaccination. To date, only seven similar cases with a complete clinicopathological description have been published, and fourteen cases have been notified to the European adverse events databases (Eudravigilance) in relationship with vaccination against COVID-19.

It is important to be aware of this potential complication when a lymphadenopathic syndrome develops following vaccination, to avoid unnecessary treatment.