4 Rare Diseases To Look Out For

Written By Sheerin Jafri / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

There is a small percentage of the world’s population that is affected by rare diseases. Some are genetic, but some aren’t. The rarest conditions in the world are difficult to treat. They slip through the cracks during diagnosis because they present similar symptoms with a not-so-serious or common illness. 

The world of medicine has evolved, but there is still a lot of research needed to help find a cure for the most common illnesses, so finding a cure for rare diseases isn’t happening anytime soon. Let’s look at four rare diseases, their symptoms, and how frequently they occur in the masses.

1. Kuru

Identified as a fatal and rare nervous system disease, Kuru is caused by a prion, an infectious protein found in contaminated human brain tissues. Daniel Carleton Gajdusek eventually discovered the condition that occurred at an epidemic level in the ’60s, specifically in the Fore people from New Guinea.

The Fore people were cannibals, and they contracted this disease during funeral rituals. What sets this disease apart is, unlike most infections, it is not caused by a virus or germs but rather by abnormal proteins called prions.

Signs and Symptoms

Kuru occurs in three stages, starting with common symptoms like joint pain and headaches, similar to those observed during a stroke or Parkinson’s disease. Other secondary symptoms include:

• Slurred speech
• Difficulty walking
• Inability to grasp objects
• Dementia
• Poor coordination
• Muscle tremors
• Difficulty swallowing

Frequency

Kuru is rarely diagnosed today as its incubation period can be as long as 30 years.

2. Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, or mesothelioma cancer, is a malignant tumor that forms in the lining of the heart, lungs, or abdomen. It is an aggressive form of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue. While the disease mainly affects the tissue surrounding the lungs, this type of mesothelioma is called pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma takes between 20 to 50 years to develop.

The leading cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos which is a hazardous carcinogen. When a person inhales asbestos fibers in excessive amounts, the microscopic particles become lodged in the lining of the heart or the lungs. The fibers start to cause damage to the mesothelial cells, and over time, tumors begin to form and grow, leading to mesothelioma.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of a person suffering from mesothelioma vary. It depends on the location and the form of cancer.

Following are some of the common symptoms of mesothelioma:

• Shortness of breath
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Chest pain/abdomen pain
• Respiratory complications
• Pleural effusion
• Painful or dry coughing

Frequency

Data suggests that about 3,000 people are diagnosed with this disease in the U.S. each year, with 75 percent of cases accounting for pleural mesothelioma.

3. Methemoglobinemia

Commonly known as the blue skin disorder, methemoglobinemia is a rare type of blood disorder where enough oxygen isn’t delivered to the cells.

There are two types of methemoglobinemia; when your red blood cells contain more than one percent of a specific type of hemoglobin, called Methemoglobin.

An abnormal amount of Methemoglobin - between 10 and 20 percent - was found in people suffering from this disease. When iron is present in ferric form instead of its usual ferrous form, it causes decreased oxygen availability to the tissues.

This puts the patients suffering from this disease at a higher risk of having seizures and developing heart abnormalities.

Signs and Symptoms

The most prominent symptoms include:

• Bluish color of the skin
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Chocolate-brown colored blood
• Shortness of breath
• Headaches

Frequency

Methemoglobinemia is primarily genetic and can be inherited from your parents. A single-family in Kentucky is most famous for passing down the disease in the family for some 200 years.

4. Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis

Also known as the Treeman Syndrome, EV is an extremely rare hereditary skin disorder that causes bark-like growths on the body. The disease is defined as a genetic immune disorder that makes people susceptible to HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infections or warts on the skin.

For reasons unknown, people suffering from this disease are more prone to over 70 HPV subtypes that can cause warts due to weak immune response to such viruses. Scaly growths on hands and feet occur due to these uncontrollable infections. Symptoms can appear anywhere from age one to 20.

Signs and Symptoms

 People who develop EV tend to experience the following symptoms:

• bark-like growths of tissues
• raised or inflamed patches of skin
• warts on feet, hands, face, and earlobes
• flat-topped lesions

Frequency

The exact number is unclear, but more than 200 cases were reported.

Bottom Line

The rarity of a disease and a massive gap in scientific and diagnostic research are reasons why we know so little about these diseases. Most of these rare diseases are genetic and don’t have a cure, but with extensive and in-depth research, treatment is possible.

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Written By:

Sheerin Jafri is a creative and passionate blogger who loves to write on various trending topics. She looks forward to pursuing a career as a financial analyst and is keen to learn about business and lifestyle.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels