Kawasaki disease--diagnostic difficulties.

The Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis in the childhood, described for the first time in 1967 in Japan. Although it is rare, the disease has worldwide distribution. Most of the patients are between 1 and 5 years of age. The onset is rapid, with high fever up to 40 degrees C, which lasts for more than 5 days. There are changes in the lingual, buccal and pharyngeal mucosa. Diffuse rash--mostly rubella-like, but never vesiculous may be present. Non-purulent, usually cervical lymphadenitis is present. The complications are mainly from the cardiovascular system: myocardial ischemia, aneurysm formation due to thrombosis, etc. The mortality is 1-2%. We present a case of Kawasaki disease in early childhood that kas caused diagnostic difficulties during the management and treatment.