1. Tropical myeloneuropathies: the hidden endemias.
- Author
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Román GC, Spencer PS, and Schoenberg BS
- Subjects
- Ataxia physiopathology, Avitaminosis complications, Colombia, Humans, India, Jamaica, Lathyrism epidemiology, Leg, Malabsorption Syndromes complications, Manihot, Military Personnel, Muscle Spasticity complications, Muscle Spasticity epidemiology, Nervous System drug effects, Nervous System Diseases complications, Nutrition Disorders complications, Paralysis complications, Paralysis epidemiology, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases history, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases pathology, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases physiopathology, Plant Extracts poisoning, Prisoners, Seychelles, South Africa, Spinal Cord Diseases history, Spinal Cord Diseases pathology, Spinal Cord Diseases physiopathology, Warfare, West Indies, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases epidemiology, Spinal Cord Diseases epidemiology
- Abstract
Tropical myeloneuropathies include tropical ataxic neuropathy and tropical spastic paraparesis. These disorders occur in geographic isolates in several developing countries and are associated with malnutrition, cyanide intoxication from cassava consumption, tropical malabsorption (TM), vegetarian diets, and lathyrism. TM-malnutrition was a probable cause of myeloneuropathies among Far East prisoners of war in World War II. Clusters of unknown etiology occur in India, Africa, the Seychelles, several Caribbean islands, Jamaica, and Colombia. Treponemal infection (yaws) could be an etiologic factor in the last two. Tropical myeloneuropathies, a serious health problem, are multifactorial conditions that provide unsurpassed opportunities for international cooperation and neurologic research.
- Published
- 1985
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