Kawasaki Disease

  • what causes Kawasaki Disease?


  • Hello Kdmom, "Kawasaki disease is the most common form of vasculitis that primarily affects children. The disease produces irritation and inflammation of many tissues of the body, including the hands, feet, whites of the eyes, mouth, lips, and throat. High fever and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck also are characteristic of this illness." "It is not clear what causes Kawasaki disease. Scientists believe a virus may be responsible, but current research is still underway. Kawasaki disease does not appear to be contagious, nor does it appear to be hereditary. It was once thought that Kawasaki disease was linked to recent rug or carpet cleaning; however, no studies have shown this to be a cause of the disease. It is rare for more than one child in a family to develop the disease. As a result, less than 2 percent of persons with Kawasaki disease develop the disease more than once." http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/cardiac/kawasaki.html "No one knows what causes Kawasaki disease. Some doctors think it may be caused by a virus or a bacteria. The illness can last from 2 weeks to a few months." http://familydoctor.org/440.xml " It is most likely caused by a very common infectious organism that only causes problems in a small number of in predisposed individuals. Other theories include: * Infectious disease caused by bacteria or bacterial superantigens (particularly Streptococcus pyogenes) and/or virus: because Kawasaki disease is rarely seen in adults, this suggests that adults may have developed immunity to the causative agent. * Genetic disposition: individuals of Japanese descent, no matter where they live in the world, are more likely to get the disease. An existing history of the disease within a family makes it more likely another family member will get it. * Abnormality of the immune system. * A small possible link with carpet shampoo or living near a body of stagnant water, but neither of these theories have yet been established." http://dermnetnz.org/bacterial/kawasaki.html Hope this helps you out! Please request an Answer Clarification, if any part of this answer is unclear. Sincerely, Crabcakes Search Terms ============ cause + kawasaki disease







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