Otorrhea in Kawasaki disease diagnosis complicated by an EBV infection: coincidental disease or a true association

The Authors report on two children affected by Kawasaki disease (KD). The diagnosis of KD was made after exclusion of conditions with similar presentation. At admission these children (cases 1 and 2) presented fever, purulent caseous pharyngotonsillitis, and cervical bilateral lymphadenopathy, as well as an erythematous nonvesicular rash over the face and trunk, and a mild bilateral non-exudative conjunctivitis in case 1. After respectively three and two days corticosteroid therapy was started without any significant improvement of the general condition and any diminutions of the fever. Two days later in case 1 the child presented a clear otorrhea, a cutaneous non vesicular rash, and soon after all the remaining signs of Kawasaki disease, in case 2 otorrhea was found after 4 days and then the other signs of the KD. These patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg day), with an improvement of their general condition. To our knowledge we report the first cases of otorrhea in the setting of Kawasaki disease. We cannot exclude that the presence of Kawasaki disease in the context of otorrhea in children positive for EpsteinBarr virus (EBV) is merely coincidental. Besides, recent acquisitions show that KD is due to a new virus that could cross-react with the EBV. The Authors conclude that the presence of EBV infection or similar condition in a febrile child may not exclude Kawasaki disease and a differential diagnosis has to be performed for a timely commencement of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.