Named after a Japanese pediatrician, Kawasaki disease is an inflammatory disorder of the blood vessels, specifically the arteries which carry oxygenated blood around the body. The arteries that are most often struck by Kawasaki disease are the coronary arteries that serve the muscle of the heart. The muscle itself might become inflamed. The disease might also lead to aneurysms, which are potentially dangerous bulges in the arteries. Kawasaki disease also attacks the skin, the mucous lining of the throat, nose and mouth and the patient’s lymph nodes. Because of this, it’s also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome. The disorder mostly affects Asian babies and children who are five and under. Males are more likely to get the disease than females.
Information. Doctors don’t know what causes Kawasaki disease, though some suspect it is the body’s response to an infection or an abreaction of the child’s immune system. Some researchers believe that a recently discovered type of coronavirus may have a part in causing the disease. They also believe that it may be caused by toxins given off by bacteria. These toxins cause the body to overreact, and the overreaction leads to the symptoms of Kawasaki disease. Though the signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease are scary, the disease can be treated, and complications are rare. Most children who get the disease make a full recovery.
