Kawasaki Disease Pictures and Treatments

Kawasaki disease was first described in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki, a pediatrician from Japan. At the time of the year 1967 the disease known as mucocutaneous lymphnode syndrome. In honor of its discoverer, the so-called Kawasaki disease.

The appearance of the disease also can trick the eye so it can be diagnosed as measles, drug allergies, viral infections, or even mumps disease. Disease more often affects the Mongol race was attacked mainly infants and most often in children aged 1-2 years. Kawasaki disease is spread throughout the world on all ethnic races, especially Asia. In the U.S. in 2000 estimated there were 4248 patients hospitalized with Kawasaki disease. Boys are more commonly affected than women. The incidence per year in Japan, the highest in the world, which ranges from 1 case per 1,000 children under five, followed by Korea and Taiwan. In the United States range from 0.09 (in the white race) to 0.32 (on the Asian-Pacific) per thousand children under five.

Kawasaki Disease in Children

Children under three months are very rarely affected by Kawasaki Disease, because the kids still get a pretty good immune from breast milk consumed from the mother.

The cause of Kawasaki disease remains unclear to this day. Many believe, germs or toxins released certain bacteria that cause. However, there is no strong evidence supporting the allegations. Another suggestion is the role of genetic factors and immune system of suspected patients. Because of that, it is also not known how to prevent it. The disease is also not proved contagious.

Usually patient's body temperature can rise to 39 degrees and the temperature dropped to 5 days. So, it is difficult to detect or confirm symptoms of the disease if only based on a fever that arises, because most fevers are always include a rise in body temperature due to an infection.

Signs for Kawasaki Disease

Fever. The acute phase begins with a sudden high body temperature, can reach 41oC. Usually the fever is going up and down, settle down for 5 days or more, although it has been given a fever-lowering drugs.
Red spots on body-like spots on the measles.
Red eye, but not watery or slimy.
Red lips, dry and cracked.
Tongue and mucous membranes of red strawberries ("strawberry tongue")
Redness of the palms of the hands and feet, usually accompanied by a little swollen.
Swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, and only on 1 side.
Some children may complain of pain in the joints.
Stage of the healing occurs exfoliation of fingers and toes.

Kawasaki Disease Treatments

Patients with Kawasaki disease should be hospitalized in the hospital by getting control of the child's cardiologist, because it feared would run to the heart. Examination of the heart, the ECG and echocardiography, CT-Scan, Magnetic Resonance Angiography and cardiac catheterization is required in severe cases. Recipes that absolutely must be given are:

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for 10-12 hours. Drugs derived from blood donor plasma is effective to relieve symptoms of Kawasaki disease and to reduce the risk of heart damage. Required immunoglobulin 2 g / kg body weight.
Salicylic acid is also given to prevent damage to the heart and coronary artery blockage.
Costicosteroid should also be used, especially if treatment fails or symptoms get.

If there are no complications, the child can be discharged within a few days. But if treatment is delayed and if you have coronary artery damage, the need for longer hospitalization, accompanied by intensive treatment to prevent further heart damage. If the drugs do not work, sometimes required coronary bypass operation (coronary bypass) or cardiac transplantation.
Death can occur 1-5% of patients who are generally delayed and the peak occurs 15-45 days after the initial onset of fever. However, sudden death can occur many years after the acute phase. Kawasaki disease can also damage the heart valves (especially mitral valve), which resulted in sudden death several years later.

Kawasaki Disease Pictures