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Descriptor English: Kuru
Descriptor Spanish: Kuru
Descriptor kuru
Entry term(s) encefalopatía kuru
Scope note: Enfermedad producida por un prión que se encuentra exclusivamente entre los grupos nativos linguísticos Fore de las altiplanicies de NUEVA GUINEA. La enfermedad está restringida fundamentalmente a mujeres adultas y niños de ambos sexos. Se caracteriza por comienzo subagudo con temblor y ataxia seguidos de debilidad motora e incontinencia. La muerte se produce a los 3-6 meses después del comienzo de la enfermedad. La afección se asocia con ritos de canibalismo y cada vez es más infrecuente desde que esta práctica ha desaparecido. Las características anatomopatológicas incluyen pérdida no inflamatoria de neuronas con mayor frecuencia en el cerebelo, proliferación glial y placas amiloides. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p773)
Descriptor Portuguese: Kuru
Descriptor French: Kuru
Entry term(s): Encephalopathy, Kuru
Kuru Encephalopathy
Tree number(s): C01.207.800.435
C10.228.228.800.435
C10.574.843.625
RDF Unique Identifier: https://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D007729
Scope note: 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)
Annotation: do not confuse with KORO, a depersonalization disord
Allowable Qualifiers: BL blood
CF cerebrospinal fluid
CI chemically induced
CL classification
CN congenital
CO complications
DG diagnostic imaging
DH diet therapy
DI diagnosis
DT drug therapy
EC economics
EH ethnology
EM embryology
EN enzymology
EP epidemiology
ET etiology
GE genetics
HI history
IM immunology
ME metabolism
MI microbiology
MO mortality
NU nursing
PA pathology
PC prevention & control
PP physiopathology
PS parasitology
PX psychology
RH rehabilitation
RT radiotherapy
SU surgery
TH therapy
TM transmission
UR urine
VE veterinary
VI virology
DeCS ID: 7905
Unique ID: D007729
NLM Classification: WL 301
Documents indexed in the Virtual Health Library (VHL): Click here to access the VHL documents
Date Established: 1966/01/01
Date of Entry: 1999/01/01
Revision Date: 2015/06/22
Kuru - Preferred
Concept UI M0012084
Scope note 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)
Preferred term Kuru
Entry term(s) Encephalopathy, Kuru
Kuru Encephalopathy



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