Kuru
Kuru (disease)
Kuru (pronounced: /ˈkʊruː/) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that was predominantly identified among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. Kuru is considered a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, also known as "mad cow disease".
Etymology
The term "Kuru" derives from the Fore word 'kuria/guria' ('to shake'), a reference to the characteristic symptoms of the disease. It is also known as the "laughing sickness" due to the pathologic bursts of laughter people would display when affected by the disease.
Symptoms
Kuru is characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, or loss of coordination and control over muscle movements. Initial symptoms include tremors, unsteady gait, and loss of balance, which gradually progress to severe ataxia, an inability to swallow, and dementia.
Transmission
Kuru was transmitted among members of the Fore tribe through a practice of mortuary cannibalism, in which relatives consumed the bodies of the deceased to return the "life force" of the deceased to the tribe. Kuru is not contagious through casual contact.
Treatment and Prognosis
There is currently no cure for Kuru. Treatment is focused on alleviating symptoms and providing supportive care. The disease is invariably fatal, usually within 1-2 years of symptom onset.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Kuru
- Wikipedia's article - Kuru
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski