KAWASAKI-DISEASE

Twenty-eight years have passed since the First report by Dr Tomisaku Kawasaki. Kawasaki disease is a unique, clinical entity characterized by mucocutaneous lesions cardiac involvement and various immunological abnormalities. Tt;is disease has been observed not only in Japan but also in Asia, the United States, Europe and indeed world-wide. The skin lesions are one of the major symptoms, but are considered to be nonspecific, acute inflammation similar to delated-type hypersensitivity. A number of hypotheses have been proposed concerning the etiology of Kawasaki disease, but the pathogenesis remains unclear. Recent evidence suggests that the importance of superantigens as the etiological agent(s).