抄録
Three epidemiological studies have been made to find etiological factors of so-called Kawasaki Disease whose cause is yet uncovered.
The results of these three studies are summarized as follows:
1. The prevalence survey of the two prefectures showed that 10% of the cases were reported from small institutions which were not covered in the past nation-wide surveys.The number of new cases in Japan in 1976 is estimated to be 2, 600, by taking the above results into consideration. The yearly number of cases in two prefectures in recent three years were almost constant.
2. The average day of illness at first visit to large hospitals was 5th day, while that to small institutions was 2nd day.Laryngeal swabs and other laboratory examinations on the fresh cases especially in small institutions were encouraged for the search of the etiological agents of the disease.
3. The areal aggregation over a short period of time was observed both in Shizuoka-keu and Chiba-ken.The fact suggested the existence of some common factors either infectious or environmental, limited to small geographical areas.
4. The case-control study disclosed that the risk factors suggesting an infectious nature of the disease were (1) number of siblings being more, especially elder siblings in cases, (2) higher order of birth in cases, (3) family history of pharyngitis.Those suggesting immunological disorders or allergic reactions were (1) previous history of stomatitis, cervical lymph adenitis, eczema, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, (2) use of milk in early infancy, (3) abnormal health conditions of mothers during pregnancy.
5. Physical weariness and changes in environmental conditons were suspected as relating factors of developing the disease.The importance of the examinations of microbiological agents commonly distributed throughout Japan was pointed out.
6. The clinical pictures of the hospitalized cases were of the characteristics of infectious diseases.
