Medical Terminology for Salivary Gland Infection
The medical term for salivary gland infection is sialadenitis. 1, 2, 3, 4
Terminology and Classification
Sialadenitis is the formal medical term describing inflammation or infection of the salivary glands, which can affect the parotid, submandibular, and minor salivary glands. 3, 4
Specific Types of Sialadenitis
The term can be further specified based on etiology and presentation:
Acute bacterial sialadenitis (also called acute suppurative sialadenitis) refers to bacterial infection, most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, with clinical signs including pain, skin erythema, gland edema, fever, and sometimes visible pus at the duct opening. 5, 6, 4
Viral sialadenitis describes viral infections affecting the salivary glands, with mumps (caused by paramyxovirus) being the classic example that causes systemic illness with swelling of one or more salivary glands, typically the parotids. 7, 1, 5
Obstructive sialadenitis occurs when mechanical obstruction (such as from sialolithiasis/salivary stones) blocks salivary flow, causing pain and swelling characteristically during eating. 1, 8, 3
Chronic sialadenitis or recurrent parotitis describes repeated or persistent inflammation, which may require evaluation for autoimmune causes. 1, 3
Focal lymphocytic sialadenitis (FLS) is the specific histopathologic term used in Sjögren's syndrome, characterized by dense aggregates of ≥50 mononuclear cells in periductal or perivascular locations. 7, 1
Anatomic Specifications
When the parotid gland specifically is affected, the term parotitis may be used (inflammation of the parotid gland). 7, 5 The parotid gland is the most commonly affected salivary gland by inflammatory processes. 9, 5