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The pathogen that causes Kuru is transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. This pathogen causes diseases called Prion, which is a neurogenetic pathogen effecting the brain. Kuru is just one of the diseases that can develop from these prions. It was discovered back in 1957 by Dr. D. Carleton Gajdusek and Vincent Zigas. It's discovery of the prion causing Kuru lead to the understanding and discovery of other diseases in it's family.

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Kuru is just one of the diseases caused by this deadly pathogen. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome, and Fatal Familial Insomnia are just a few more of the diseases that the prion causes. Unfortunately, all of the prions are fatal with no cure once contracted.

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Kuru is transmitted through the cannibalistic act of consuming brain tissue from dead humans. It was common in regions of New Guinea, where they ate the brains of dead loved ones as part of a funeral ritual. It would be passed along through consumption, or by contact with an open wound. Kuru's causative agent is prion. Prion is a misfolded protein without instructional nucleic acids. In New Guinea, it was more common in women in children than men. The women and children were made to eat the brain and the men would eat the deceased muscles. Back in the 1950s and 60s is when the disease made it's peak. Although the disease is rare, it reached epidemic rates in it's region. 35 out of every 1,000 people in villages were infected.

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The symptoms of Kuru can be delayed from 4 to 40 years. Many people who contracted the disease didnt know until their body showed symptoms that usually come in 3 stages. The first stage is losing control of bodily functions such as posture, uncontrollable shivers and balance. The second stage is when the lose the ability to walk or stand independently, dysarthria, and involuntary jerks. The third and fatal stage is when the person is bedridden, incontinent and unable to speak. At this stage death is common within a year.

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This disease is a neurodegenerative disease, meaning it eats away at your brain. Since the disease was discovered, scientist have found no way to treat the disease other than treating its symptoms. Which means they are cared for by family members and kept comfortable until death.

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As stated before, Kuru is spread through cannibalism. In the mid 20th centenary, governments tried to prevent the spread by discouraging the consumption of humans. The last case of the disease was reported back in 2005, and since the incubation period is so long, we can't determine when they actually partook in the ritual. So in retrospect, the end of cannibalism should have been the end in the spread.

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This is a look of the effects of Kuru on the brain under a microscope. Kuru causes the degeneration of healthy brain tissue and replaces it with fluid filled cysts. Once the brain has been infected, the is no treatment nor cure to reverse the process.

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The people of Papua, New Guinea have overcome the deadly disease by stopping the ritualistic cannibalism ritual. They still conduct their funerals by painting of the faces, singing and dancing. Although their way of life is still different than most of the world, with education and change, eradication of the disease has been accomplished with no cases since 2005.

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As we know, Kuru is a brain disease. The harmful thing about brain diseases is that there is no reversal. Most cases of brain injury, with or without the disease, aren't curable.

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Although there would be nothing beneficial from contracting a prion, the are some benefits from their discovery. Insights from the study of prion diseases has lead to the understanding of other rare diseases like dementia. I'm sure we all know someone with dementia, and thanks to the research done with prions, we may be one step closer to a cure.