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
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cause + kawasaki disease

good answer--and great job providing reference links!