Mesenteric adenolymphitis is inflammation of part of the abdominal wall. It mainly affects children and can be of viral, bacterial or parasitic origin. Treatment is mainly symptomatic except in cases of bacterial origin where antibiotics must be used.

Mesenteric adenolymphitis, also called mesenteric adenitis, is inflammation of the lymph nodes in the mesentery, a fold of the abdominal peritoneum connecting the small intestine to the posterior wall of the abdomen.

Mesenteric adenolymphitis is common, even banal, typical of young adults or children, in whom it represents one of the main reasons for presenting abdominal pain to emergency departments and one of the main diagnoses of confusion with appendicitis.

To confirm the diagnosis of mesenteric adenolymphitis it is necessary to have recourse to blood culture, microscopic examinations of the urine or an abdominal CT scan.

Mesenteric adenolymphitis is viral in 80% of cases (Epstein-Barr Virus), more rarely bacterial (yersinia, mesenteric tuberculosis) or parasitic (toxoplasmosis, giardiasis). An ENT infection can be the cause of mesenteric adenolymphitis, thus causing inflammation of the abdominal nodes.

The symptoms of mesenteric adenolymphitis are:

• Pain in the lower abdomen, most often on the right side
• Nausea, vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling of the lower abdomen
• Respiratory tract infections
• Fever

Because of its similar symptoms, mesenteric adenolymphitis is often confused with appendicitis in children and adolescents. 10 to 20% of patients who undergo exploratory surgery for suspected acute appendicitis have their diagnosis corrected to mesenteric adenolymphitis. However, unlike appendicitis, mesenteric adenitis is often accompanied by inflammation of other lymphoid organs, such as the tonsils for example.

Mesenteric adenitis is usually not serious. However, sometimes it can lead to complications such as:

• Abscess
• Dehydration if the patient has severe diarrhea or vomiting
• Articular pain
• Peritonitis, the inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the outside of the organs in the abdomen
• Septicemia

Adenolymphitis is usually viral in origin and resolves spontaneously. The management of mesenteric adenolymphitis is then mainly symptomatic. The treatments associated with mesenteric adenolymphitis are:

• Antidouleurs
• Treatments identical to those offered for gastroenteritis.
• Treatments to suppress diarrhea and nausea.
• Hydration: It is important to drink water in small sips. An intravenous rehydration solution is often considered in younger children.
• Antibiotics are used when the infection is bacterial in nature.
• Heat can help relieve a sore lower abdomen. To do this, simply place a hot water bottle on the painful area.

To avoid bacterial infection, it is advisable to be vigilant in terms of the cleanliness of the accommodation and personal hygiene. It is advisable to avoid being around people who are sick and infected with a virus. It is also important to wash your hands regularly with soapy water or an alcohol-based solution in order to kill any germs.

Diet should be monitored to reduce inflammatory phenomena in the intestines and probiotic cures may be beneficial.