Key Points

• Kawasaki disease is a rare childhood disease. In Kawasaki disease, the walls of the blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. This disease can affect any type of blood vessel in the body, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries.
• The cause of Kawasaki disease isn't known. The body's response to a virus or infection combined with genetic factors may cause the disease. However, no specific virus or infection has been found, and the role of genetics isn't known.
• Kawasaki disease can't be passed from one child to another.
• Kawasaki disease affects children of all races and ages and both genders. It occurs most often in children of Asian and Pacific Island descent. It's more likely to affect males, and most cases occur in children younger than 5 years.
• One of the main symptoms during the early part (acute phase) of Kawasaki disease is fever. The fever lasts longer than 5 days. It remains high even after treatment with standard childhood fever medicines.
• Other classic signs and symptoms are swollen lymph nodes in the neck; a rash on the mid-section and genital area; red, dry, cracked lips and a red, swollen tongue; red, swollen palms of the hands and soles of the feet; and redness of the eyes.
• During the acute phase of Kawasaki disease, your child also may be irritable and have a sore throat, joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Within 2 to 3 weeks of the start of symptoms, the skin on your child's fingers and toes may peel, sometimes in large sheets.
• Kawasaki disease is diagnosed based on your child's signs and symptoms and the results from diagnostic tests and procedures. Generally, your child will be diagnosed with Kawasaki disease if he or she has a fever lasting longer than 5 days and four other classic signs of the disease. Because not all children have classic signs of the disease, diagnostic tests and procedures can help confirm a diagnosis.
• Kawasaki disease is mainly treated with medicines. Rarely, medical procedures and surgery also may be used for children whose coronary arteries are affected.
• Kawasaki disease can't be prevented. However, most children who develop the disease fully recover—usually within weeks of getting signs and symptoms. Further problems are rare.
• If Kawasaki disease has affected your child's coronary arteries, he or she will need ongoing treatment.
• Researchers continue to look for the cause of Kawasaki disease and better ways to diagnose and treat it. They also hope to learn more about long-term health risks, if any, for people who have the disease.