Overview

Lymphadenitis is a condition in which your lymph nodes become inflamed. When the condition affects the lymph nodes in the membrane that connects your bowel to the abdominal wall (mesentery), it's called mesenteric lymphadenitis (mez-un-TER-ik lim-fad-uh-NIE-tis).

A viral intestinal infection is the usual cause of mesenteric lymphadenitis, also known as mesenteric adenitis. It mainly affects children and teens.

This painful condition can mimic appendicitis or a condition in which part of the intestine slides into another part of the intestine (intussusception). Unlike appendicitis or intussusception, mesenteric lymphadenitis is seldom serious and usually clears up on its own.