What is Kawasaki Disease?

About Kawasaki Disease:

• It is also known as Kawasaki syndrome or mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome.
• It is a rare disease that causes fever and inflammation of the blood vessels, mainly in children under 5 years of age.
• The disease was first described in Japan by Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, and the first cases outside of Japan were reported in Hawaii in 1976.
• The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, although more cases happen in late winter and early spring. 
• It is one of the most common forms of acquired heart disease in children.
• The condition causes the immune system to attack blood vessels, which become inflamed and swollen.
• It tends to affect the coronary arteries, which carry blood to the heart muscle. It can also cause problems with lymph nodes, skin, and the lining of a child’s mouth, nose, and throat.
• Symptoms: Symptoms of Kawasaki disease can appear in two phases and may last several weeks. Common symptoms include:
  • A high fever lasting more than five days.
  • Red eyes without discharge.
  • A rash on the body, often in the chest and groin area.
  • Swollen hands and feet, sometimes with redness.
  • Red, cracked lips and a swollen, red tongue.
  • Swollen lymph nodes, especially on one side of the neck.
• Treatment:
  • Kawasaki disease is usually treated in the hospital with an intravenous (IV) dose of immunoglobulin (IVIG) antibodies. 
  • The goals of treatment are to lower fever, reduce swelling, and prevent heart damage.

Q1: What are lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs that are part of the body’s immune system and help the body fight infection and disease.

Source: What is Kawasaki, the rare disease Munawar Faruqui’s son diagnosed with?

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