Kawasaki disease in a 4-year-old boy.

A 4-year-old boy experienced sudden fever, followed by a rash on the trunk and extremities and erythema of the pharynx. Five days later, the fever remained and erythema appeared on the oropharynx, tongue, and lips. The skin of the palms and soles became erythematous and indurated, and both conjunctivae became injected. Desquamation of the skin occurred on both thumbs and one finger, and an anterior cervical lymph node was found to be enlarged. The patient was diagnosed as having Kawasaki disease, and treatment with aspirin was started. The desquamation progressed to involve the entire surface of the palms and soles, and then symptoms resolved. Twenty years after recognition of Kawasaki disease, this enigmatic illness continues to defy attempts to understand its etiology and pathogenesis. Most experts agree that the cause is either an environmental toxin or an infectious agent, but other possible causative agents may need to be proposed and investigated.