title: Vaccines and Kawasaki disease.
abstract: The distinctive immune system characteristics of children with Kawasaki disease (KD) could suggest that they respond in a particular way to all antigenic stimulations, including those due to vaccines. Moreover, treatment of KD is mainly based on immunomodulatory therapy. These factors suggest that vaccines and KD may interact in several ways. These interactions could be of clinical relevance because KD is a disease of younger children who receive most of the vaccines recommended for infectious disease prevention. This paper shows that available evidence does not support an association between KD development and vaccine administration. Moreover, it highlights that administration of routine vaccines is mandatory even in children with KD and all efforts must be made to ensure the highest degree of protection against vaccine-preventable diseases for these patients. However, studies are needed to clarify currently unsolved issues, especially issues related to immunologic interference induced by intravenous immunoglobulin and biological drugs.
authors.affiliation: a Paediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: a Paediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.affiliation: b Medium Intensive Care Unit , Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dellepiane
authors.affiliation: a Paediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation , Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Aspirin; Kawasaki disease; biological drugs; immunosuppressive therapy; intravenous immunoglobulin