Kawasaki disease is an illness that involves the skin, mouth, and lymph nodes, and most often affects kids under age 5. Death of famous actor John Travolta's son is bringing more information to light about a rare disease. Kawasaki disease occurs in 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the United States. It is most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent, but can affect all ethnic groups. Kawasaki disease occurs more often in boys than girls. The cause is not known. Microorganisms and toxins have been suspected, but none has been identified to date. Genetic factors and the immune system may play a role.
