Kikuchi disease (histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis) in association with HTLV1

We report a 25-year-old male with fever, generalized lymphadenopathy and an erythematosus maculo-papular eruption affecting face and upper body. A diagnosis of Kikuchi disease (necrotizing histiocytic lymphadenitis) was made on lymph node histology. The patient was found to be positive for the human T-cell leukaemia lymphoma virus (HTLV1). Kikuchi disease has been reported in association with infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes (HHV6) and toxoplasmosis, but to our knowledge this is the first case of Kikuchi disease associated with HTLV1.