Acute cervical lymphadenitis in children.

A retrospective study of 78 children with acute cervical lymphadenitis treated in Newcastle over the last 9 years revealed that abscesses formed in 50 children despite antibiotic treatment. Children under 2 years of age were more likely to form an abscess than older children. The commonest organism isolated was penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. Beta-haemolytic Streptococcus was isolated less commonly and isolation of penicillin-sensitive staphylococci was rare. Penicillin and amoxycillin alone are unsuitable as first line antibiotics. Severe infections and those failing to respond rapidly to initial antibiotic treatment should be admitted to a paediatric unit for intravenous beta-lactamase-resistant antibiotics.