Kuru Historically important Thought to be extinct now although 11 new cases have been identified between 1994 and 1996 Incubation period unknown for definite but thought to be between 9 and 24 months up to around 50 years with the detection of the recent cases Was relatively common in Papua New Guinea last outbreak was in the 1950’s Endemic in the Fore tribes that practiced cannibalism practice stopped in the 1950’s Variable age of onset, typically younger whilst the practice was on-going, age now increasing as the younger generations have not practiced cannibalism Thought to have originated from one of the cannibalised people having sCJD No mutations of the Normal Prion Protein gene have been detected although like in CJD the detection rate of a homozygous methionine at codon 129 of the Normal Prion protein gene is raised Is still studied because of the interest in determining the incubation times and resistance mechanisms in a human population 1,2,11,13,14,15