Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome

A syndrome of unknown origin that mainly affects young children.

It causes fever, reddening of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and lips and mucous membranes of the mouth, ulcerative gum disease (gingivitis), swollen glands in the neck (cervical lymphadenopathy), and a rash that is raised and bright red (maculoerythematous) in a glove-and-sock fashion over the hands and feet.

The skin there becomes hard, swollen (edematous), and peels.

The name 'mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome' is descriptive because the disease is characterized by the typical changes in the mucus membranes that line the lips and mouth and by the enlarged and tender lymph glands.

Also called Kawasaki's syndrome, the mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome was first described in the late 1960's in Japan by the pediatrician Tomisaku Kawaski