Mesenteric adenitis, mesenteric lymphadenitis, is an inflammation of the mesenteric lymph nodes connected to the intestine as a result of an infection, usually caused by bacteria or viruses, which causes severe abdominal pain, similar to acute appendicitis.
Mesenteric adenite is generally not severe, but often in children and adolescents under 5 years of age and in children under 25 years of age, due to bacterial or viral infections of the intestine, as they go away without any treatment.
- Symptoms of mesenteric adenite can last for days or weeks.
- But can be easily controlled with medical treatment depending on the cause of adenite.
Symptoms of mesenteric adenite can last for days or weeks, even if they are:
In rare cases, mesenteric adenite may not produce symptoms, being diagnosed during routine exams, such as abdominal ultrasound, for example, in these cases, even if it does not produce symptoms, it is necessary to identify the cause of the problem to provide appropriate treatment.
Mesenteric adenite is mainly caused by a bacterial infection, mainly Yersinia enterocol-tica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, when they enter the body and promote inflammation of the mesentery nodes, causing pain and abdominal pain.
In addition to its bacterial infection, mesenteric adenite could be caused by a virus, but it is the rarest that occurs.
Diagnosis of mesenteric adenite is made by the gastroenterologist the GP based on the assessment of the symptoms presented by the person and the result of imaging tests, such as CT and ultrasound.
In some cases, your doctor may also request coculture, which corresponds to microbiological needs analysis to detect the microorganism responsible for adenite and therefore recommend the best treatment.
Treatment of mesenteric adenite should be prescribed by a gastroenterologist, the GP, in the case of an adult, the pediatrician, in the case of a child, usually depends on the cause of the problem.
Thus, if the cause of mesenteric adenite is due to a viral infection, your doctor will prescribe pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to control symptoms until your body removes the virus.
However, if the problem is caused by bacteria, antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or ciprofloxacin, may be necessary, for example, in addition to medications to control symptoms. Learn more about treating intestinal infections.