Epidemiology of Kawasaki Disease in Japan

Three nation-wide epidemiological surveys, three case control studies and a few other epidemioligical studies on mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome have been conducted in Japan since 1970. The principal epidemiological features of the disease are (1) total numbers reported as of June 1974 being 6,537, (2) prevailing throughout the country without north-south or urban-rural differences, (3) steady increases after 1968 without distinct seasonal variation, (4) peak age at 6–11 months in male and 12–17 months in female, (5) male/female ratio in incidence: 1. 5/1, that of fatal cases 4/1, (6) family and area clustering, (7) previous history of pharyngitis and allergic reactions, (8) no specific characteristics in weight at birth, birth order, immunization history, artificial feeding, (9) temporal curves of incidence consistent with the production of certain medicines.