Kawasaki Disease (cont.)

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What are the usual symptoms and signs of Kawasaki's disease?

The usual symptoms and signs of Kawasaki's disease include

  • fever,
  • reddening of the eyes without pus,
  • cracked and inflamed lips and mucous membranes of the mouth with an inflamed "strawberry" tongue,
  • ulcerative gum disease (gingivitis),
  • swollen lymph nodes in the neck (cervical lymphadenopathy),
  • joint pain often on both sides of the body,
  • irritability,
  • cough and runny nose,
  • and a rash that is raised and bright red, especially on the palms and soles.

The rash appears in a glove-and-sock fashion over the skin of the hands and feet. The rash becomes hard, swollen (edematous), and then peels off.

What are the less common findings?

Most of the common symptoms described above will resolve without complications, even if untreated. Less common findings include inflammation of the lining of the heart (pericarditis), joints (arthritis), or covering of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), and the other heart complications listed below in the section on serious complications. The outlook (prognosis) for an individual affected is primarily determined by the seriousness of any heart complications.

Reviewed by Catherine Burt Driver, MD on 5/11/2012

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