BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuKuruPrion disease - kuruKuru is a disease of the nervous system. Causes Kuru is a very rare disease. It is caused by an infectious protein (prion) found in contaminated human brain tissue.Kuru is found among people from New Guinea who practiced a form of cannibalism in which they ate the brains of dead people as part of a funeral ritual. This practice stopped in 1960, but cases of kuru were reported for many years afterward because the disease has a long incubation period. The incubation period is the time it takes for symptoms to appear after being exposed to the agent that causes disease.Kuru causes brain and nervous system changes similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Similar diseases appear in cows as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also called mad cow disease.Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseaseCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a form of brain damage that leads to a rapid decrease in movement and loss of mental function.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The main risk factor for kuru is eating human brain tissue, which can contain the infectious particles. Symptoms Symptoms of kuru include:Arm and leg pain Coordination problems that become severe Difficulty walking Headache Swallowing difficulty Tremors and muscle jerks Difficulty swallowing and being unable to feed oneself can lead to malnutrition or starvation.MalnutritionMalnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The average incubation period is 10 to 13 years, but incubation period of 50 years or even longer have also been reported. Exams and Tests A neurologic exam may show changes in coordination and walking ability. Treatment There is no known treatment for kuru. Outlook (Prognosis) Death usually occurs within 1 year after the first sign of symptoms. When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider if you have any walking, swallowing, or coordination problems. Kuru is extremely rare. Your provider will rule out other nervous system diseases. Open ReferencesReferencesBosque PJ, Tyler KL. Prions and prion disease of the central nervous system (transmissible neurodegenerative diseases). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 179.Tee BL, Geschwind MD. Prion diseases. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 94.AllVideoImagesTogCentral nervous system and peripheral nervous system - illustration The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.Central nervous system and peripheral nervous systemillustrationCentral nervous system and peripheral nervous system - illustration The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.Central nervous system and peripheral nervous systemillustrationRelated Information Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(Condition)Movement - uncoordinated(Symptoms) Review Date: 12/4/2022 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
KuruPrion disease - kuruKuru is a disease of the nervous system. Causes Kuru is a very rare disease. It is caused by an infectious protein (prion) found in contaminated human brain tissue.Kuru is found among people from New Guinea who practiced a form of cannibalism in which they ate the brains of dead people as part of a funeral ritual. This practice stopped in 1960, but cases of kuru were reported for many years afterward because the disease has a long incubation period. The incubation period is the time it takes for symptoms to appear after being exposed to the agent that causes disease.Kuru causes brain and nervous system changes similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Similar diseases appear in cows as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also called mad cow disease.Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseaseCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a form of brain damage that leads to a rapid decrease in movement and loss of mental function.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The main risk factor for kuru is eating human brain tissue, which can contain the infectious particles. Symptoms Symptoms of kuru include:Arm and leg pain Coordination problems that become severe Difficulty walking Headache Swallowing difficulty Tremors and muscle jerks Difficulty swallowing and being unable to feed oneself can lead to malnutrition or starvation.MalnutritionMalnutrition is the condition that occurs when your body does not get enough nutrients.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The average incubation period is 10 to 13 years, but incubation period of 50 years or even longer have also been reported. Exams and Tests A neurologic exam may show changes in coordination and walking ability. Treatment There is no known treatment for kuru. Outlook (Prognosis) Death usually occurs within 1 year after the first sign of symptoms. When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider if you have any walking, swallowing, or coordination problems. Kuru is extremely rare. Your provider will rule out other nervous system diseases. Open ReferencesReferencesBosque PJ, Tyler KL. Prions and prion disease of the central nervous system (transmissible neurodegenerative diseases). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 179.Tee BL, Geschwind MD. Prion diseases. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 94.