National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Kawasaki Disease is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Kawasaki disease is a rare childhood disease. It makes the walls of the blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. It can affect any type of blood vessel, including the arteries, veins and capillaries. No one knows what causes Kawasaki disease. Symptoms include
Kawasaki disease can't be passed from one child to another. It 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.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)