May 01, 2020 13:00:00

The number of children with 'Kawasaki disease' has increased in Europe, what is the relationship with new coronavirus infections?

It has been reported that the number of children with '

Kawasaki disease ', which is accompanied by sudden high fever, swelling of limbs, and blood vessel abnormalities, is increasing in European countries such as Britain and Italy. It seems that some of these children tested positive for the new coronavirus, suggesting that an increase in Kawasaki disease may be associated with the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). I will.

Italy, UK explore possible COVID-19 link to child inflammatory disease-Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-syndrome/italy-uk-explore-possible-covid-19-link-to-child-inflammatory-disease-idUSKCN2292JM

Coronavirus and Kawasaki disease in children: it's an intriguing but unproven link
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-and-kawasaki-disease-in-children-its-an-intriguing-but-unproven-link-137415

Kawasaki disease is a disease that is mainly seen in children under the age of 5, and it rarely occurs in older children, and almost never in adults. It was named 'Kawasaki disease' because it was reported by Tomisaku

Kawasaki who worked at the Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital in 1967, and although it is the most common in Northeast Asia, patients have been confirmed in countries around the world including Europe. I will. In Japan, several thousand to ten thousand people are affected each year, and there is a tendency that there are more boys than girls.

It is generally said that Kawasaki disease causes inflammation of blood vessels and is said to be caused by excessive activation of immunity. It is unspecified whether Kawasaki disease is caused by an infectious disease or an autoimmune disease, and the diagnosis is based on the symptoms the patient presents. The main symptoms of Kawasaki disease are as follows.

・ Long fever
·rash
・ Eye congestion
・ The ends of the extremities become red and swell firmly
・ Red sores on lips and tongue (tongue like strawberries), pain and swelling
・ Swelling of lymph nodes in the neck

Inflammation occurs in the blood vessel of the heart in Kawasaki disease,

coronary vessel wall is damaged Kawasaki coronary aneurysms severe example is also formed there, and sometimes even death case. It is important in the treatment of Kawasaki disease to prevent coronary artery hypertrophy by performing immunoglobulin therapy using blood products at an early stage.

Kawasaki disease is generally an acute inflammatory disease and rarely recures, but patients with severe coronary artery damage continue to have a risk of cardiovascular disease throughout their lives. In this case, it is necessary to reduce the risk of heart attack by taking medicine even after adulthood.

During the pandemic of the new coronavirus, doctors in northern Italy report an increase in the number of children under the age of 9 with what appears to be Kawasaki disease. Similar cases have been confirmed in European countries such as Britain, Spain and Portugal, and some of the patients were positive for the new coronavirus test.

The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom will ask clinicians about the relationship between the new coronavirus and Kawasaki disease, as more than many times more than usual children have symptoms of vasculitis similar to Kawasaki disease. To inform you. `` For children and adolescents, we asked clinical directors across the country to consider the link between Kawasaki disease and the new coronavirus as an urgent issue, '' said Stephen Powis , a NHS representative in England. However, he pointed out that the relationship between the new coronavirus and Kawasaki disease is not clear at this time.

In addition, it has been reported that some patients who are severely affected by the new coronavirus infection have blood and blood vessel problems.

Patients who become severe due to new coronavirus infection may have major problems with `` blood ''-GIGAZINE

Pediatricians have been investigating Kawasaki disease for more than 50 years, and it has been pointed out that bacterial and viral infections and carpet cleaners may be the cause. Also, in 2004, it was reported that a coronavirus called NL63 was found in 8 out of 11 infants who showed symptoms of Kawasaki disease, but this result could not be reproduced in other groups.

It is too early to jump to the conclusion that infection with the new coronavirus will lead to Kawasaki disease in children, because there are still few details of the case and not all children were positive for the new coronavirus test. . Also, the children who showed symptoms of Kawasaki disease in this case are older than typical Kawasaki disease patients. On the other hand, experts point out that Kawasaki disease may have been caused by infection with the new coronavirus weakening the patient's defense reaction and infection with another bacterium.

Although there are still many unknowns regarding the new coronavirus, it has been pointed out that COVID-19 is less likely to cause severe illness in children , and the number of children with Kawasaki disease as a whole is small. Nevertheless, experts advised that parents should immediately bring their children to the hospital, whether or not they have a COVID-19 pandemic, if they are showing serious symptoms.