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International call to tackle a rising disease
June 12, 2026
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The American Heart Association (AHA) has just launched a call for international cooperation to tackle a disease with variable incidence, but which has shown an increasing trend worldwide.
Kawasaki disease (KD) affects young children. It is characterized as an acute vasculitis of medium‑sized vessels that ends up damaging the coronary arteries.
Children who are not treated may develop coronary artery aneurysms with a prevalence of ~25%. They may also develop acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction, both conditions that can be fatal. However, timely treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg per dose) can reduce the risk to <5%.
Most children recover if they receive timely and appropriate treatment.
The exact cause of this condition is unknown, although there is a consensus in the academic world that it is an autoimmune reaction. It occurs when an infection (such as a common virus or bacteria) triggers an abnormal immune response in children who have a genetic predisposition, causing inflammation of the blood vessels.
It is not contagious and is not transmitted by person‑to‑person contact.
Kawasaki disease affects children worldwide with varying incidence and, above all, with varying diagnostic accuracy and accessibility to medical care depending on the location. The country with the highest incidence of KD is Japan: 371 cases annually per 100,000 children under 5.
Kawasaki disease in Latin America continues to pose a significant pediatric challenge, historically characterized by underdiagnosis.
However, records have provided crucial epidemiological data:
- Multicenter cohort studies from recent years reveal that the greatest regional burden of the disease is concentrated in Mexico (29%), Costa Rica (14%), Colombia (11%), and Panama (10%).
- Although the true population‑based incidence has historically been difficult to calculate due to underdiagnosis and diagnostic confusion with other tropical fevers.
- However, regional estimates (such as those from Guadeloupe and Chile) range from 2.7 to 28.8 cases per 100,000 children under five years of age.
- These regional records indicate that the average age at diagnosis is approximately 2.1 years. The majority of patients (61%) are male.
Recognition of KD remains a challenge to overcome in many nations.
Researchers point out that although effective diagnostic and management strategies have been developed in economically advanced countries over the past 50 years, multinational efforts are needed to deploy these advances in other parts of the world.
As the AHA states in its document, “it is essential to establish an efficient and comprehensive collaboration around KD, which incorporates a global approach and promotes the implementation of clinical, educational, academic, and patient rights advocacy initiatives, adapted to the global, regional, and local levels.”
Key issues highlighted in the AHA document
- Develop protocols for the condition beyond early childhood. Given that current collaborations around Kawasaki disease predominantly reflect the pediatric field, the transition and care during adulthood are recognized as a critical area that needs to be addressed.
- Educating the family. Because the patients are so young, empowering parents and caregivers through knowledge of KD is essential for early detection and treatment.
- Empower with information. Enabling families to identify the symptoms of KD and to understand the treatment protocols and follow‑up care empowers them to take an active role in care. Public awareness of Kawasaki disease also needs to be promoted.
- Promote community participation. This can be done through advocacy and support groups for parents who can provide valuable perspectives on care practices, offer platforms for information sharing, and provide psychological support to newly diagnosed patients.
- Consolidate a global network. Collaboration between registries established around the world can facilitate transnational data integration and foster global learning.
- Identify weak points. This integration would make it possible to conduct standardized comparisons, identify gaps in care, and implement practical interventions to improve patient outcomes globally.
- Boost detection. Community‑driven awareness campaigns can increase recognition of KD symptoms and underscore the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
- Work towards a more precise definition. Linking compilations of echocardiograms, cardiac magnetic resonances, and other images into common registries will enrich phenotyping.
- Bridging gaps. Work on reducing global disparities in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMICs) through transnational collaboration and data sharing.
- Strengthening financing. Advocate for sustainability by securing specific funding sources from government, philanthropic, and industry partners.
- Take advantage of technology and digital tools. Employ artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify predictive patterns and automate quality control.