Tag: Kawasaki disease

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy provides immediate, passive immunity by infusing pooled donor antibodies, a process that can interfere with a recipient's ability to develop their own active immunity from a live vaccine. This is precisely why you can't get live vaccines after IVIG and must wait several months to ensure the vaccine is effective.

Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease among children in North America and Japan. It is a systemic inflammatory condition, and for decades, clinicians have included aspirin in the treatment regimen, but many parents wonder, "Why give aspirin for Kawasaki disease" given the general warnings about aspirin use in children. The answer lies in aspirin's dual pharmacological actions, used in a carefully controlled manner to combat both inflammation and clotting risks associated with the illness.