The key difference between Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease is that Coxsackie disease happens after infection of Coxsackieviruses, while Kawasaki disease happens after a bacterial or viral infection or is linked to other environmental factors.
Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease are two medical conditions predominantly seen in infants and children. Coxsackie disease is usually contagious and causes different conditions in the various body parts. These include hand, foot, and mouth disease, herpangina (infections of the throat), hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (eye infection), and brain infections such as meningitis and encephalitis. On the other hand, Kawasaki disease is not contagious, and it is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in the developed world.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Coxsackie Disease
3. What is Kawasaki Disease
4. Similarities – Coxsackie and Kawasaki Disease
5. Coxsackie vs. Kawasaki Disease in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Coxsackie vs. Kawasaki Disease
What is Coxsackie Disease?
Coxsackie disease happens after infection of Coxsackieviruses such as Coxsackie A and Coxsackie B. Viruses can usually spread from person to person through unwashed hands and surfaces contaminated by feces, where viruses can live for several days. Coxsackie A strain causes hand, foot, and mouth disease. This disease results in painful red blisters in the throat, on the tongue, gums, hard palate, inside of the cheeks, the palms of hands, and soles of the feet. Occasionally, blisters can appear on the buttocks as well.
Figure 01: Coxsackie Virus
Coxsackie B strain cause viral meningitis (an infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord called meninges), encephalitis (a brain infection), and myocarditis (an infection of the heart muscle). Moreover, Coxsackie disease can be diagnosed through physical examination, viral culture, and laboratory RNA detection through PCR. Furthermore, Coxsackie disease is treated through acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease minor aches and pains, antiviral medications, and plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
What is Kawasaki Disease?
Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, causes swelling (inflammation) in the walls of small to medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body of children. This swelling can be identified in glands (lymph nodes) and mucous membranes inside the mouth, nose, eyes, and throat. The signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease may include fever, a rash on the main part of the body, including the genital area, an enlarged lymph node in the neck, extremely red eyes with no thick discharge, red, dry, cracked lips, an extremely red, swollen tongue, swollen, red skin on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, peeling of skin on fingers and toes, pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, irritability, pain in the joints, and vomiting. The exact cause of Kawasaki disease is not known, but scientists believe Kawasaki disease happens after a bacterial or viral infection or is linked to other environmental factors.
Figure 2: Kawasaki Symptoms
Moreover, Kawasaki disease can be diagnosed through physical examination, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. Furthermore, treatment options for Kawasaki disease may include infusion of an immune protein (gamma globulin) through a vein that can lower the risk of coronary artery problems and giving high doses of aspirin that helps to manage inflammation.
What are the Similarities Between Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease?
- Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease are two medical conditions predominantly seen in infants and children.
- Both these diseases can be caused by viral infections.
- These diseases affect infants and children younger than 5.
- Both these diseases can cause similar symptoms, such as skin rashes, heart conditions, etc.
- Both these diseases can be diagnosed through physical examination, skin biopsy, and
- They are mainly treated through specific medications.
What is the Difference Between Coxsackie and Kawasaki Disease?
Coxsackie disease happens after infection of Coxsackieviruses, while Kawasaki disease happens after a bacterial or viral infection or linked to other environmental factors. Thus, this is the key difference between Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease. Furthermore, Coxsackie disease is more common in regions in the world, such as the United States, Bulgaria, Hungary East, and Southeast Asia. On the other hand, Kawasaki disease is more common in regions in the world, such as East Asia and other Asian regions.
The infographic below presents the differences between Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Coxsackie vs. Kawasaki Disease
Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease are two health conditions that predominantly affect infants and children. Coxsackie disease is caused by an infection of Coxsackieviruses such as Coxsackie A and Coxsackie B, while Kawasaki disease is caused after a bacterial or viral infection or linked to other environmental factors. The symptoms of Coxsackie disease include a common cold or mild red rash, diarrhoea, sore throat, meningitis, encephalitis, chest pain, and inflammation of the heart. On the other hand, the symptoms of Kawasaki disease include a fever, red eyes without discharge, red and cracked lips or strawberry tongue, rash, swelling, redness or peeling of the hands or feet, large lymph nodes, and heart problems. This summarizes the difference between Coxsackie and Kawasaki disease.
Reference:
1. “Coxsackievirus in Children: How Serious Is It?” Mayo Clinic.
2.“Kawasaki Disease.” Mayo Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Coxsackie B4 virus” (CC0) via Picryl
2. “Kawasaki symptoms E” By Kawasaki_symptoms.jpg: Dong Soo Kimderivative work: Natr (talk) – Kawasaki_symptoms.jpg (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia