Kuru

Kuru is a fatal brain disease caused by prions found in human brains. It is most commonly found among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea, and symptoms include difficulty in walking and coordinating movements, progressive loss of motor skills, and eventually death. Kuru is also known as the “laughing sickness” due to the laughter-like symptoms associated with the disease. Currently, there is no effective treatment for Kuru, but research is ongoing to find a cure. Kuru is notable for being one of the rarest and most fatal diseases caused by an infectious protein, and understanding of its pathophysiology is vital to finding effective treatments for similar diseases.