WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (Chinese media) -- A group of new human
genes that appear to be involved in making some children more susceptible to
Kawasaki disease has been identified, according to a study to be published on
Friday in the journal PLoS Genetics.
Research teams from the University of Western
Australia, the Genome Institute of Singapore, Emma Children's Hospital in the
Netherlands, Imperial College London in Britain and the University of California
San Diego in the United States studied naturally occurring genetic variation in
almost 900 cases of Kawasaki disease in their countries, the first genetic study
of an infectious disease to examine the whole genome rather than selected genes.
The study showed that genes involved in
cardiovascular function and inflammation may be particularly important and some
seem to function together.
The researchers believe these findings could lead to
new diagnostics and better treatment and may offer information about adult
cardiovascular disease as well.
As the findings do not yet prove that the new genes
are functionally involved, the researchers are now planning detailed studies of
the function of these genes and larger collaborative studies including East
Asian populations, who are at particular risk of Kawasaki disease. One in 150
Japanese children are affected by the disease.
Kawasaki disease is an inflammatory condition in
children that affects the mucus membranes, lymph nodes, walls of blood vessels
and the heart.
The disease causes damage to the coronary arteries in
a quarter of untreated children and may increase the risk of atherosclerosis in
early adulthood.
The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, and an
infectious etiology is suspected but not proven. There is no diagnostic test,
and current treatment fails to prevent coronary damage in at least one in 10 to
20 children. Kawasaki disease is fatal in about one in 1,000 children.
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