Kawasaki Disease Causes
Although not prevalent, Kawasaki disease is a serious illness and the cause or causes are still unknown. In the United States the disease can affect children of any background, including First Nations children. Kawasaki disease (inflammation of blood vessels) is an illness that results from an absence of the immune system response to bacterial pathogens. It’s associated with various symptoms including a red rash. The disease affects children, some adults and rarely even older adults. This leaves parents struggling to find the causes of Kawasaki disease, as well as how this condition can be prevented and treated.
Until about a decade ago, many people who were affected by Kawasaki disease were either misdiagnosed or the cause of this serious illness remained unknown. This is because it was not previously regarded as a separate disease from strep throat or rheumatic fever. The cause of KD is not clear yet, but it may be due to dysfunction in various organ systems. KD can be easily treated once identified, but if it goes undetected or is misdiagnosed, it can affect major blood vessels, the heart, and other organs of the body.
Children with a certain genetic inheritance from their parents are more likely to develop Kawasaki disease, but its cause is not fully understood.
Infection
A virus or bacteria may be responsible for Kawasaki disease, since its symptoms are similar to those of an infection. However, a bacterial or viral cause has not yet been identified. Unlike infectious diseases, Kawasaki disease cannot be passed from one individual to another. Because of this, it’s unlikely that it’s caused by a virus alone. Children of any age can get Kawasaki disease. Children under the age of one are more susceptible.
Genetics
Genetic factors play a vital role in the development of Kawasaki disease in children. In other words, the genes they inherit from their parents may increase their risk of getting the condition.
Kawasaki disease may not be caused by a single gene, but by a combination of genes that each slightly increase a child’s chances of developing the disease. The disease is more prevalent and common in children from northeast Asia, particularly in Japan and Korea. These findings indicate that the disease is a genetic condition.
Kawasaki disease hasn’t been proven to have an exact cause. Genetic factors, viruses, bacteria, and things around a child, such as chemicals and irritants, may contribute to the condition. In a community, it sometimes occurs in clusters, but the disease is unlikely to be contagious. It is more common in the winter and spring among kids. Kawasaki disease can be caused by a number of things, including:
- Age – It is most common in children under the age of 5.
- Sex – Males are 1.5 times more likely to contract it than females.
- Ethnicity – Kawasaki disease is ethnically more common in children of Asian descent.
Side Effects
The illness is fairly uncommon, and there are many medical treatments available. However, if treatment isn’t carried out properly, it may have life threatening complications. Here we look at the complications of Kawasaki disease, and their symptoms.
Unusual Heart Rhythms
Kawasaki disease (KD) is a disease in which the blood vessels are inflamed. This inflammation can sometimes cause very unusual heart rhythms. The published incidence rate of heart rhythm disorders in children with Kawasaki disease is 10-20% and for adults who have had Kawasaki disease it’s about 1%.
Cardiac arrhythmias are a common occurrence in Kawasaki disease and occur due to inflammation of the blood vessels. The disease has been linked to high blood pressure and blood vessel damage. When this happens, the heart may begin to experience unusual rhythms.
Inflamed Heart Muscles
Childhood Kawasaki Disease is a rare disorder that affects the blood vessels inside and outside of the heart. Myocarditis (inflamed heart muscle) is the presence of inflammatory cells in the myocardium, which is the muscular wall of the heart. It is often associated with Kawasaki Disease (KD). The term myocarditis reflects an inflammatory process in the cardiac muscles of an infant. It’s called necrotizing (or fibrinous) inflammation and causes serious symptoms like high fever, unexplained bruises or nose bleeds, sensitivity to noise or light, nighttime sweating and trouble breathing.
The inflamed heart muscles in Kawasaki disease is at the same time a serious and significant clinical problem within the field of cardiology, as well as a fascinating subject within the world of medicine.
Damaged Heart Valves
Kawasaki disease is a condition of the arteries, veins and lymphatics in which the blood vessels are inflamed. It can also damage the heart valves, which may lead to congenital heart defects – including mitral valve regurgitation. Mitral regurgitation in Kawasaki disease (KD) is common, but underestimated. It is associated with a worse clinical outcome and happens when the inflammation in your heart causes it to dilate and stretch. This can cause damage to your myofibers, which are the muscle cells in your heart.
Inflamed Blood Vessels
Inflamed blood vessels are a major side effect of Kawasaki disease. It’s an inflammation of your blood vessels, which limits blood flow to your organs and can affect their function. Kawasaki disease can also cause coronary artery aneurysms (swelling and weakening of the heart’s blood vessels). The disease is mild for most children, but in rare cases it can be severe. Children with severe Kawasaki disease may develop extensive coronary artery changes or aortic dilatation. Serious heart abnormalities can occur, though it’s rare once a child has recovered from the initial fever phase of the disease. Kawasaki disease affects around 1 in every 30,000 healthy children under five years of age each year. It typically involves only minor symptoms, but it sometimes requires intensive care unit (ICU) treatment before the condition clears up.