Kawasaki disease associated with streptococcal infection within a family.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the illness occurring in four members of a family, which had clinical and laboratory features of Kawasaki disease and streptococcal infection.

METHODOLOGY

A retrospective report of three siblings and an adult male living in one household. The children had serology, blood counts, cultures and echocardiography performed and were treated with antibiotics and gammaglobulin infusions.

RESULTS

The patients developed clinical, and exhibited laboratory, features suggesting streptococcal infection and 4/5 criteria suggesting the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease. All made a good clinical recovery but the youngest developed a coronary artery aneurysm.

CONCLUSIONS

It may be difficult to distinguish streptococcal infection and Kawasaki disease. It is possible that some cases of Kawasaki disease are precipitated by streptococcal infection.