kuru
Fatal trembling sickness
Kuru is a fatal degenerative brain disease transmitted through cannibalistic funeral practices among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea.
The disease, caused by misfolded proteins called prions, produces tremors, loss of coordination, and dementia.
Kuru became central to understanding prion diseases after researchers linked its spread to ritual consumption of deceased relatives' brains.
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- ataxiaImpaired voluntary movement control
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
- incoordinationImpaired muscular control
- dysarthriaMotor speech muscle disorder
incubation · fatal · incurable · epidemic · neurodegeneration · encephalopathy · spongiform · cerebellum
Disease-causing microorganism
- scrapieOvine prion disease
- mad cowBrain-wasting livestock illness
- proteinaceousContaining or resembling proteins
- cross-speciesBetween different species
Southwest Pacific island nation
- HighlandsNamed elevated regions
- tribeSocial group sharing ancestry
- endocannibalismRitual eating of deceased members
- funerary ritesCeremonies for the dead
women and children · deceased relatives · mourning ritual · anthropology · ethnography · Melanesia · field study · first contact
Federal medical research agency
- Nobel PrizeHighest academic honor
- medical historyRecord of past ailments
- epidemiologyStudy of disease spread
- disease eradicationPermanent global elimination of pathogens
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- ataxiaImpaired voluntary movement control
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
- incoordinationImpaired muscular control
dysarthria · incubation · fatal · incurable · epidemic · neurodegeneration · encephalopathy · spongiform · cerebellum · ambulation
infectious agent
Disease-causing microorganism
- scrapieOvine prion disease
- mad cowBrain-wasting livestock illness
- proteinaceousContaining or resembling proteins
cross-species · incubation period · brain lesions · neuropathology
Papua New Guinea
Southwest Pacific island nation
- HighlandsNamed elevated regions
- tribeSocial group sharing ancestry
- endocannibalismRitual eating of deceased members
funerary rites · women and children · deceased relatives · mourning ritual · anthropology · ethnography · Melanesia · field study · first contact · colonial era
NIH
Federal medical research agency
- Nobel PrizeHighest academic honor
- medical historyRecord of past ailments
- epidemiologyStudy of disease spread
- prion diseasesprions, prion, prion disease, mad cow disease, scrapie
- Proteinopathiesamyloid, prions, Alzheimer's disease, amyloidosis, Parkinson's disease
- degenerationdegeneration, neurodegeneration, atrophy, deterioration, demyelination
- Fictional Diseasesgreyscale, zombie virus, Trixie, flare, blood curse
- amyloidoses
- Encephalopathieschronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE, HIE
Inherited fatal neurodegenerative condition
influenza · HIV · bacterial meningitis · hereditary disorder
kurucommon cold
Mild respiratory virus
health · wellness · full recovery · remission · longevity