What causes Kawasaki Disease?
The cause of KD is unknown. Current data suggest that the disease results from an immune response to a classic antigen in genetically susceptible individuals. Numerous infectious pathogens have been proposed as etiologic agents but all have been subsequently disproven. The two most active lines of investigation suggest infection with a novel RNA virus via the respiratory tract or transport of an agent in tropospheric winds that initiates the immunologic cascade of KD when inhaled. Epidemiology, genome-wide association studies, and linkage analysis have provided evidence that there is genetic susceptibility to KD and disease outcomes. In particular, the genes FCγR2a, caspase 3, human leukocyte antigen class II, B-cell lymphoid kinase, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate kinase C, and CD40 have been implicated.
