KAWASAKI SYNDROME MASQUERADING AS BACTERIAL LYMPHADENITIS

We present two case reports of older children who initially presented with cervical lymphadenitis and who were eventually diagnosed and trea ted for Kawasaki syndrome (KS). Both children presented with unilatera l cervical lymphadenopathy and fever and later developed additional cl inical features of KS, including cardiac aneurysms in one of the patie nts. Of the five KS clinical criteria which accompany fever for 5 days , cervical lymphadenopathy of greater than or equal to 1.5 cm is the l east commonly found. Both patients were treated as having bacterial ad enitis prior to the diagnosis of KS. We hope to illustrate that in the case of atypical cervical lymphadenitis, KS should be carefully consi dered in the differential diagnosis.