It's characterized by fever, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, irritation and redness of the whites of the eyes, swollen lymph glands in the neck, and irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips and throat. Named after Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki, a Japanese pediatrician, the disease has probably for a long time but wasn't recognized as a separate entity until 1967.
Boys develop the illness almost twice as often as girls.
The incidence is higher in Japan than in any other country. In the United States it's more frequent among children of Asian-American background, but can occur in any racial or ethnic group. The disease is relatively common, and in the United States it is a major cause of heart disease in children. In recent years, it has tended to occur in localized outbreaks, most often in the late winter or spring, but is seen year-round. The heart may be affected in as many as one of five children who develop Kawasaki disease.