Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Kuru

  • Kuru, the laughing disease of New Guinea

    New Guinea is the second-largest island in the world that is not a continent (after Greenland). It is divided into the Republic of Papua-New Guinea in the east and a western area that belongs to Indonesia. In both parts, indigenous populations face significant health challenges because of poverty, parasitic diseases, and poor medical facilities. Of…

  • Revisiting the history of kuru

    Tanzila SaiyedChernivtsi, Ukraine An eleven year old girl named Kigea had gradually become unsteady on her feet. She had pain in her arms, joints, and legs, and would cry and scream. She had fits of uncontrollable laughter and shaking. She belonged to the tribe of Fore (pronounced as FOR-AY) of the village called Waisa in…