Mycobacterial infections of the head and neck

Mycobacterial infections are grouped into infections caused by Mycobacterium. tuberculosis and those caused by the atypical mycobacterial organisms. Tuberculosis is a systemic disease, with cervical lymphadenitis of the head and neck being the most common extrapulmonary manifestation of the disease. It is important to use imaging, histopathologic examination, and culture to differentiate tuberculosis from atypical mycobacterial infections, because treatment differs. Tuberculosis is best treated as a systemic disease, with antituberculosis medication. The atypical infections can be addressed as local infections and are amendable to surgical therapy.