Winterbottom's sign

Winterbottom's sign (pronunciation: /ˈwɪntərˌbɒtəmz saɪn/) is a medical term referring to the swelling of lymph nodes located in the posterior cervical triangle of the neck. This symptom is often associated with African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly.

Etymology

The term is named after Thomas Masterman Winterbottom, an English physician who first described the sign in 1803.

Clinical significance

Winterbottom's sign is a classic clinical feature of the second stage of African trypanosomiasis, specifically the form caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. The presence of this sign can aid in the diagnosis of the disease, although it is not always present in infected individuals.

Related terms

• African trypanosomiasis: A parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly, often associated with Winterbottom's sign.
• Tsetse fly: An insect that transmits the parasites causing African trypanosomiasis.
• Trypanosoma brucei gambiense: One of the species of parasites that cause African trypanosomiasis.
• Posterior cervical triangle: The area of the neck where the lymph nodes swell in Winterbottom's sign.

See also

• List of eponyms in medicine
• List of medical symptoms

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Winterbottom's sign
• Wikipedia's article - Winterbottom's sign

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