Disease or Syndrome
kuru
ku·ru [ koor-oo ]
Subclass of:
Prion Diseases
Definitions related to kuru:
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A prion disease found exclusively among the Fore linguistic group natives of the highlands of NEW GUINEA. The illness is primarily restricted to adult females and children of both sexes. It is marked by the subacute onset of tremor and ataxia followed by motor weakness and incontinence. Death occurs within 3-6 months of disease onset. The condition is associated with ritual cannibalism, and has become rare since this practice has been discontinued. Pathologic features include a noninflammatory loss of neurons that is most prominent in the cerebellum, glial proliferation, and amyloid plaques. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p773)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A rare, acquired human prion disease characterized by rapidly progressive neurodegeneration, cerebellar symptoms (especially ataxia, but also tremor, dysarthria, and nystagmus) being the most prominent clinical feature, following an asymptomatic incubation period of up to several decades and a non-specific prodromal phase with headaches and arthralgia. Other neurological signs occurring in the course of the disease involve also the brain stem, mid-brain, hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex. Emotional changes include inappropriate euphoria and compulsive laughter, or depression and apprehension. The disease is invariably fatal within approximately one year.OrphaNetINSERM, 2021
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Kuru is a rare prion brain disease endemic to Papua, New Guinea, and thought to be spread by ritual cannibalism. Although ritual cannibalism ended in the 1950s, 11 new cases of kuru have been reported between 1996 and 2004, suggesting an incubation period that may exceed 50 years.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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Kuru is among the fatal neurodegenerative prion protein (PrP) diseases in humans. Others include Creutzfeldt�Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann�Stra�ssler�Scheinker (GSS) disease, fatal familial insomnia (FFI), and variant CJD (vCJD).WebMD, 2019
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Kuru, infectious fatal degenerative disorder of the central nervous system found primarily among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. Initial symptoms of kuru (a Fore word for "trembling," or "shivering") include joint pain and headaches, which typically are followed by loss of coordination...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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