Mononucleosis is caused by the Eppstein-Barr virus which is passed on when saliva is shared through kissing or sharing utensils that have infected saliva on them. Lymphadenopathy is a common sign of rubella including in the occipital lymph nodes. It causes a pink rash to appear on the body, including the face that is similar to (although milder than) measles. Open sores can be infected with bacteria or yeast which will also cause the occipital lymph nodes to swell. Psoriasis is a condition caused by an over-reactive response of the immune system that causes skin cells to grow too quickly. This causes an excess of cells that become thick, itchy and flaky, and sore. This can cause an allergic reaction, triggering an immune response in the occipital lymph nodes or if scratched can develop into a bacterial infection. Head lice are parasitic insects that are passed on from close contact with another person who has them and they live on and feed on the blood of the scalp. Ringworm is caused by a fungus that causes a red, itchy rash that is circular or in the shape of a ‘ring’. It can be treated with a cream, lotion, or powder. Ringworm can infect the scalp which will also cause the occipital lymph nodes to swell due to their location at the base of the skull. The immune response can usually neutralize cat scratch disease but it can be cured with antibiotics as can impetigo and other bacterial infections. Other bacterial skin infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes which can also infect the throat. Bacterial infectionīacterial infections in local areas such as impetigo in the scalp or bacteria transferred to the skin when an individual is scratched by a cat, can cause swelling on the occipital lymph nodes. Therefore an infection that started in the region of the occipital lymph nodes causing inflammation or swelling is most likely to have started either in the throat, skin, or scalp. The location of the lymph nodes that are swollen will give an indication of where the infection has started and what the likely cause is. Swollen occipital lymph nodes Causes of swollen lymph node When fighting pathogens the lymph nodes will become swollen and inflamed and this is given the term lymphadenopathy. They do this by using the white blood cells they contain to fight bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens that might cause harm to the body. The bean-shaped lymph nodes act as filters to cleanse the fluid that passes through them. Just as the circulatory system is made up of vessels that carry blood, the lymphatic system is also made up of vessels that carry fluids and at specific parts of the body, the vessels are connected to lymphoid organs such as the tonsils, thymus, and occipital lymph nodes. The lymphatic system has several roles which include fat transport and absorption, maintaining fluid balance, and production of immune cells. Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system, one of many systems that have a specific function in the body like the respiratory system or the nervous system. The word occipital means the area at the lower part of the back of the head at the base of the skull. Rarely does swelling of the lymph nodes indicate anything more serious, but can be an indirect consequence of conditions like skin cancer or autoimmune diseases. However, these infections are also easily dealt with by using corticosteroid topical treatments such as creams and lotions or by antibiotics. These are all contagious infections and easily spread from person to person. Infections that cause them to swell are very common, for example, throat infections (such as strep throat) or infections of the scalp such as head lice, ringwork, and impetigo. So they swell, not because they themselves are infected but because they are carrying out their role of dealing with infection. So as the occipital lymph nodes are located at the base of the skull, any infection is likely to have occurred in a nearby region such as the throat or skull. (Consider rephrasing this sentence) The lymph nodes contain white blood cells that form part of the immune system as these white blood (lymphocytes) will attack and neutralize pathogens (harmful substances) such as bacteria and viruses to help prevent them from causing disease within the body. The area in which the lymph nodes are swollen is most likely to be where the infection has occurred.
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