Overview
Kuru is an infectious prion disease found amongst the Fore people in Papua New Guinea. It is caused by the misfolding of a protein called prion, which is found in the brain. Symptoms of Kuru include difficulty in walking, muscle tremors, loss of balance and coordination, and ultimately death. Kuru is significant in that it was the first prion disease discovered in humans and has shown researchers the impact that misfolded proteins can have on humans, leading to the understanding of other prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Kuru has spurred research into the development of treatments for prion diseases, as well as a greater understanding of how these diseases can be prevented. Kuru is also significant in that it has allowed researchers to understand how prion diseases can be spread through human contact and consumption of infected food.