Case study
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurological degenerative disease
that has an onset in most people between the ages of 30 and 50.
There is no cure for this condition and it is progressive. Features
include deterioration in movement, cognition and generalised
functioning. Death usually results from respiratory illness.
HD is an inherited condition. A child of an affected person has a
50% chance of inheriting the faulty gene that causes the condition.
Genetic predictive testing is now available for persons over the
age of 18 who have an affected parent or relative which will tell
them in almost all cases whether they will develop the disease at
some stage in their life.
Worldwide, of those eligible for the test, only around 15% of
people have taken up the option of testing.
Mr H. is a 25 year old man whose grandfather died some 10 years
ago from Huntington disease. Mr H’s mother has therefore a 50%
chance of developing HD. She decided to have the genetic test and
has been shown to have the faulty gene. She will definitely
develop HD at some time and Mr H is now at 50% risk of
developing HD.
Mr H. is an air traffic controller. He loves his job and he feels he
could perform his duties most adequately for many years,
irrespective of whether he carries the faulty gene for HD or not. He
does not wish to have the genetic test. His employer is unaware of
his family history.