KAWASAKI DISEASE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Recently, two baby girls diagnosed with Kawasaki disease were effectively treated at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).

Kawasaki Disease

• About: It is a pediatric illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels, primarily affecting young children, and is a significant cause of heart disease in this demographic.
• Risk factors: 

o Age. Children under 5 years old are at highest risk of Kawasaki disease.

o Sex. Children who are assigned male at birth are slightly more likely to get Kawasaki disease.

o Ethnicity. Children of Asian or Pacific Islander descent have higher rates of Kawasaki disease.

• Causes: Its exact cause remains unidentified, with potential links to genetics, viruses, bacteria, and environmental factors.
• Impacts: The disease can lead to inflammation of coronary arteries and affect various body parts like lymph nodes, skin, and mucous membranes. 
• Symptoms: Polonged high fever, rash, peeling skin on extremities, swelling, redness, eye inflammation, swollen glands, and distinctive oral manifestations like "strawberry tongue."
• Treatment: Intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG), which is an infusion through your child's IV and high-dose aspirin every six hours.