Table of contents:
- What is Kawasaki disease?
- 1,024,298
- 831,330
- 28,855
- Kawasaki disease in children and COVID-19
- What is the connection between Kawasaki disease and COVID-19?
Over the past few weeks, dozens of children in the United States have been hospitalized with unknown causes. The treated child developed similar symptoms toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease, but experts believe their condition has something to do with COVID-19.
Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 are known to be similar to the symptoms of other diseases. In addition to common symptoms such as fever and cough, there have also been reports of patients experiencing diarrhea, rashes, and loss of smell and taste. This also raises the suspicion that Kawasaki disease in children and COVID-19 are related.
What is Kawasaki disease?
Kawasaki disease is a disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body. Also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, this disease sometimes also attacks the skin, lymph nodes, and mucous membranes.
Most people with Kawasaki disease are children under five years of age. Symptoms fall into three phases. The first phase is usually characterized by a fever for five days. Apart from fever, other symptoms of Kawasaki disease include:
- rash on the back, stomach, arms, legs, and genital area
- Red eye
- sore throat
- red, dry, cracked lips
- a 'strawberry' tongue, characterized by white with red spots
- swelling of the palms, soles of the feet, and lymph nodes in the neck
The first phase can last for two weeks. After that, the child will experience a second phase marked by joint pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some children also experience peeling skin on the hands and feet.
Symptoms of the disease gradually disappear in the third phase, unless the child has complications with the heart. Usually, the child's nails appear streaks. There may still be signs of heart problems, but laboratory test results tend to be normal. This phase can last for 2-3 months before the child finally recovers.
1,024,298
Confirmed831,330
Recovered28,855
DeathDistribution MapThe sooner Kawasaki disease is detected, the faster the recovery. If left untreated, this disease can damage the vessels leading to the heart. Pressure on the blood vessels can gradually form a "balloon" which is called an aneurysm.
Blood clots can form in these balloons and block the flow of blood, increasing the risk of a heart attack. In other cases, Kawasaki disease can also trigger inflammation of the heart muscle and cause immediate damage.
Kawasaki disease in children and COVID-19
The link between Kawasaki disease and COVID-19 stems from one case in California, USA. Dr. Veena Goel Jones, a pediatrician, was treating a six-month-old baby who showed symptoms of Kawasaki disease.
He then suggested a COVID-19 test for the baby. The results were positive, even though the baby had never had a cough and had only a slightly congested nose. He also reported this case in a journal Hospital Pediatrics April.
Not long ago, similar cases emerged in Italy, England, Spain and France. New York City has reported 15 cases with the same symptoms since mid-April. All children with symptoms of Kawasaki disease end up being tested for COVID-19.
A total of four children tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, six children were negative for COVID-19, but they had antibodies to this virus marker. This indicates that they have just recovered from COVID-19.
What is the connection between Kawasaki disease and COVID-19?
Doctors are currently studying the link between Kawasaki disease and COVID-19. Even though the symptoms are very similar, the doctors handling this case are sure that COVID-19 does not cause Kawasaki disease in children.
They suspect that the symptoms experienced by the children are actually caused by an overreaction of the immune system. This response appears as resistance to SARS-CoV-2 attacks in the body.
This allegation arose because previously there were many reports of adult patients experiencing a similar response due to COVID-19. The immune response is primarily aimed at eliminating the virus, but this process can also cause tissue damage.
In certain cases, COVID-19 patients can even experience a dangerous immune reaction called a cytokine storm. This condition causes severe inflammation of vital organs. Without proper treatment, patients are at risk of life-threatening organ failure.
One more thing that makes experts believe is that symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease appear long enough after a child contracts COVID-19. In addition, countries with high cases of Kawasaki disease have also not reported an increase in cases of this disease throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts still need to do further research to confirm this allegation. While waiting for the latest research results, parents can protect their children from the risk of contracting COVID-19 by implementing prevention efforts.
If your child has a fever for days, a rash, or other symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease, consult a doctor immediately. Even though it is not related to COVID-19, Kawasaki disease still has a bad impact on children and needs to be addressed immediately.
