Head-Nodding Syndrome Increases in South Sudan
A rare and poorly understood form of pediatric epilepsy, head-nodding syndrome is spreading in the new nation of South Sudan,* reports Meredith Wadman of Nature. CDC experts on site remain stumped about the cause of the apparent seizure disorder, which is associated with malnutrition, subclinical seizures, and focal brain atrophy or gliosis (aka scarring of brain tissue) in some cases. A link to endemic river blindness, or infection with Onchocerca volvulus, is tenuous, and genetic susceptibility provides only a partial explanation as to the origin of HNS.
The disease, locally called kifafa,** was first recognized in the early 1960s in Tanzania (in the East African territory of Tanganyika) by Dr. Louise Jilek-Aall (right), who founded the Mahenge Epilepsy Clinic (link to a youtube video).
For more background on HNS, click here for a 2008 article.
HT: American Academy of Neurology.
* Capital, Juba, "Jeopardy!" fans.
** Swahili for epilepsy.
The disease, locally called kifafa,** was first recognized in the early 1960s in Tanzania (in the East African territory of Tanganyika) by Dr. Louise Jilek-Aall (right), who founded the Mahenge Epilepsy Clinic (link to a youtube video).For more background on HNS, click here for a 2008 article.
HT: American Academy of Neurology.
* Capital, Juba, "Jeopardy!" fans.
** Swahili for epilepsy.
