Kawasaki disease in an infant: a case report

Abstract

Infant case report diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a febrile vasculitis that affects mainly children between 2 and 3 years old. The causative agent is still unknown, but the epidemiology and clinical features suggest infectious character. There may be cardiac involvement and micro aneurysms in the coronary arteries. Differential diagnoses are measles, adenovirus and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment is with intravenous immunoglobulin, salicylates and steroids. The patient, who is 13 months old, previously healthy, first presented high fever and runny nose eye congestion, treated with symptomatic medication; three days later she evolved with hyperemia frame in the face, trunk and limbs, again treated with symptomatic and antihistamine. After two days, there was swelling in the face, hands and feet, diffuse hyperemia, oral erythema and fever, and she was referred to a hospital for investigation. She presented all the criteria for Kawasaki disease: high fever, eye congestion, alterations in the mouth, polymorph rash, edema in the extremities and acute cervical lymphadenopathy. She was treated with intravenous immuglobulin and salicylates. After leaving hospital, she coursed with fever, swelling and palmoplantar desquamation. She was hospitalized and intravenous immunoglobulin, salicylates and corticosteroids were reintroduced; she progressed well and was discharged in two days. During her hospitalization, the echocardiogram ruled out heart problems.