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Kawasaki Disease
What is it?
Kawasaki disease is a group of signs and symptoms that appear in phases and usually affect children under five years old. It is named after the Japanese doctor who first identified this disease in 1967, Tomisaku Kawasaki.
The disease affects the mucous membranes (the lining of the mouth and breathing passages), the skin, and the lymph nodes (part of the immune system). Kawasaki disease can lead to vasculitis and can affect all major arteries in the body — especially the coronary arteries.
It can also cause swelling of the heart muscle, a condition called myocarditis.
The most serious problems from Kawasaki disease are the possible effects on the heart and its arteries. According to the American Heart Association, Kawasaki disease affects the hearts of one in five children with the disease.
Kawasaki disease has passed rheumatic fever as the leading cause of acquired (non-birth defect related) heart disease in children in the United States. A virus is probably part of the cause because the disease often happens to many children at the same time.
How is it treated?
Intravenous gamma globulin (a medicine given by IV) is usually the treatment for Kawasaki disease. It is very effective if given early in the disease.