kuru

ku·ru  (kr)

n.

A fatal progressive, degenerative neurological disease caused by a slow-acting virus, found in certain peoples of New Guinea and transmitted by cannibalism.

---

[Fore (language of eastern Papua New Guinea).]

---

kuru [ˈkʊruː]

n

(Medicine / Pathology) a degenerative disease of the nervous system, restricted to certain tribes in New Guinea, marked by loss of muscular control and thought to be caused by a slow virus

[from a native name]

---

kuru  (kr)

A rare, progressive, degenerative neurological disease found in certain peoples of New Guinea and associated with cannibalism. It is thought to be caused by a prion and results in a fatal encephalopathy. See Note at prion.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

kuru - a progressive disease of the central nervous system marked by increasing lack of coordination and advancing to paralysis and death within a year of the appearance of symptoms; thought to have been transmitted by cannibalistic consumption of diseased brain tissue since the disease virtually disappeared when cannibalism was abandoned nervous disorder, neurological disease, neurological disorder - a disorder of the nervous system