Diseases

Kuru

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)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

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)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

2 entry terms
  • Encephalopathy, Kuru
  • Kuru Encephalopathy

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

36 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, transmission, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

do not confuse with KORO, a depersonalization disord

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C01w.207w.800w.435w
  2. C10w.228w.228w.800w.435w
  3. C10w.574w.843w.625w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WL 301

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Kuru. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D007729. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D007729
  2. Kuru. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(disease)
  3. Kuru. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q274615