Association between a novel human coronavirus and Kawasaki disease

J Infect Dis. 2005 Feb 15;191(4):499-502. doi: 10.1086/428291. Epub 2005 Jan 14.

Abstract

Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis of childhood; its etiology is unknown. We identified evidence of a novel human coronavirus, designated "New Haven coronavirus" (HCoV-NH), in respiratory secretions from a 6-month-old infant with classic Kawasaki disease. To further investigate the possible association between HCoV-NH infection and Kawasaki disease, we conducted a case-control study. Specimens of respiratory secretions from 8 (72.7%) of 11 children with Kawasaki disease and from 1 (4.5%) of 22 control subjects (children without Kawasaki disease matched by age and the time the specimens were obtained) tested positive for HCoV-NH by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (Mantel-Haenszel matched odds ratio, 16.0 [95% confidence interval, 3.4-74.4]; P=.0015). These data suggest that HCoV-NH infection is associated with Kawasaki disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coronavirus / genetics
  • Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / virology*
  • Respiratory System / virology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction