Essay On Kawasaki Disease

In 1967 Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki, a Japanese Pediatrician was the first to describe a serious illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body that primarily affects children under the age of five and infants. The Kawasaki Disease, named after Tomisaku, is also known as Kawasaki syndrome and Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome, because it affects lymph nodes, skin and the mucous membranes inside of the mouth, nose and throat. Kawasaki Disease is slightly more common in males than in female patients. Males are more prone to serious complications that can lead to death. Nearly 2% of patients with Kawasaki disease have been reported to have later died from the illness. A child’s risk of developing Kawasaki disease includes …show more content…
Kawasaki disease is most frequently observed in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. From 1967 to the mid-1980s Kawasaki disease has increased at 5000-6000 cases per year. Japan has the highest incidences reported, 10 to 20 times higher than in Western countries. 90% of Kawasaki disease cases occur in children younger than 5 years old. The youngest patient was 20-day-old newborn in Japan. Kawasaki disease is rarely reported in adolescents, but there have been so-called incomplete cases in which the patient appears to have it, but do not meet diagnostic criteria. Laboratory testing supports the diagnosis of these cases that have no other identified cause of their illness. Kawasaki disease is very common during the winter and early spring.
Signs and Symptoms
The Kawasaki disease is a non-contagious disease that is usually treatable. There is still no known cause for this disease. Some scientist’s theories link the disease to bacteria, viruses or other environmental factors, but nothing has been proven. Signs to look for are high fever and peeling skin. Kawasaki disease has three symptom phases. During the first phase a patient has a fever higher