Journals / Pediatric Practice and Research / 2026 / Volume: 14 Issue: 1

BCG Scar Reactivation as a Diagnostic Clue in Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki Hastalığında Tanısal Bir İpucu Olarak BCG Skar Reaktivasyonu

Cansu Çetin(ALANYA ALAADDIN KEYKUBAT UNIVERSITY)0009-0001-4413-5690
Fatma Tuğba Çetin(Alanya Training and Research Hospital)0000-0002-0471-8939
Muhammet Bulut(Alanya Training and Research Hospital)0000-0002-2090-0394
Cansu Turan(ALANYA ALAADDİN KEYKUBAT ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3146-6391
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-09-28
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Given that the BCG vaccine is routinely administered at 2 months of age in our country, this case highlights that BCG reactivation is an important finding for the early diagnosis of infant Kawasaki disease.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Classic diagnosis of Kawasaki disease: fever lasting at least five days accompanied by erythema and cracking of the lips, strawberry tongue, and/or erythema of the oral mucosa; bilateral conjunctivitis without exudate; maculopapular rash, widespread erythroderma, or erythema multiforme-like rashes; erythema and edema of the hands and feet in the acute phase and/or periungual desquamation in the subacute phase; and the presence of at least four of the following findings: typically unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy (≥1.5 cm).
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Key Findings & Data:In our case, which was initially evaluated with a preliminary diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection, Kawasaki disease was suspected based on the presence of a 3-day fever, bilateral non-purulent conjunctivitis, macular rash in the neck region, and lip erythema, along with erythema at the BCG scar.
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Conclusion & Impact:Given that the BCG vaccine is routinely administered at 2 months of age in our country, this case highlights that BCG reactivation is an important finding for the early diagnosis of infant Kawasaki disease.
🔬Design:Case Report
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Kawasaki disease · infant · BCGitis

Abstract

Classic diagnosis of Kawasaki disease: fever lasting at least five days accompanied by erythema and cracking of the lips, strawberry tongue, and/or erythema of the oral mucosa; bilateral conjunctivitis without exudate; maculopapular rash, widespread erythroderma, or erythema multiforme-like rashes; erythema and edema of the hands and feet in the acute phase and/or periungual desquamation in the subacute phase; and the presence of at least four of the following findings: typically unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy (≥1.5 cm). However, diagnosing Kawasaki disease in infants can be challenging. In the presence of unexplained high fever, erythema developing at the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination site should serve as a warning sign for physicians, even if typical clinical findings are not fully present. In our case, which was initially evaluated with a preliminary diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection, Kawasaki disease was suspected based on the presence of a 3-day fever, bilateral non-purulent conjunctivitis, macular rash in the neck region, and lip erythema, along with erythema at the BCG scar. Given that the BCG vaccine is routinely administered at 2 months of age in our country, this case highlights that BCG reactivation is an important finding for the early diagnosis of infant Kawasaki disease.

Özet

Klasik Kawasaki hastalığı tanısı; en az beş gün süren ateş ile beraber dudaklarda eritem ve çatlama, çilek dili ve/veya oral mukozada eritem; eksüda olmaksızın bilateral konjonktivit; makülopapüler döküntü, yaygın eritroderma veya eritema multiforme benzeri döküntüler; akut fazda el ve ayaklarda eritem ve ödem ve/veya subakut fazda periungual deskuamasyon; genellikle tek taraflı servikal lenfadenopati (≥1,5 cm) bulgularından en az 4’ünün olması ile konur. Fakat küçük bebeklerde Kawasaki hastalığının tanısı güç olabilmektedir. Açıklanamayan yüksek ateş varlığında, tipik klinik bulgular tam olmasa bile Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) aşı yerinde gelişen eritem, hekimler için uyarıcı bir bulgu olmalıdır. İlk başvurusunda üst solunum yolu enfeksiyonu ön tanısıyla değerlendirilen olgumuzda; 3 gündür olan ateş, bilateral non-pürülan konjonktivit, boyun altında maküler döküntü ve dudak hiperemisi ile birlikte BCG skarında eritem saptanması üzerine Kawasaki hastalığı düşünülmüştür. Olgumuz, ülkemizde BCG aşısının rutin olarak 2. ayda uygulanması dikkate alındığında, BCG reaktivasyonunun infant Kawasaki hastalığı tanısında erken tanıda önemli bir bulgu olduğuna dikkat çekmiştir.

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Cite This Article

Çetin, C., Çetin, F. T., Bulut, M., Turan, C. (2026). BCG Scar Reactivation as a Diagnostic Clue in Kawasaki Disease. Pediatric Practice and Research, Volume: 14 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.21765/pprjournal.1936353

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