Kawasaki disease

Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome has been rarely seen or reported in India because of its rare occurrence and probably because of its close resemblance to many exanthematous conditions. It is a characteristic disease with a unique clinical presentation. Knowledge about this established disease is essential as it can involve the coronary and other medium and small sized arteries causing vasculitis in about 20% of cases. This probably accounts for a significant number of ischemic heart diseases and sudden deaths in the young, i.e. in the second and third decades, later in life for which no other cause is found then. It is a condition diagnosed entirely on clinical basis and hence the need to be aware of its characteristic features.