Top ten rare viruses

Toxins resulting from the failed heme production can affect the coloring of other areas, especially after exposure to sunlight. Sometimes the teeth and fingernails can adopt a reddish appearance. It is these toxins that lead to the dark urine and feces. The magpie, Latin name pica , will eat anything, and so will sufferers of pica syndrome.

Almost always pregnant women or children, sufferers develop an appetite for non-nutritive substances, such as paint, clay, plaster or dirt, or alternatively items that are more commonly considered to be food ingredients, such as raw rice, flour or salt.

It can only be considered pica if the appetite persists for over a month and the sufferer is of an age where eating these objects is considered developmentally inappropriate. Medical researchers have tenuously linked pica with a mineral deficiency, but according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, experts have yet to nail down a real, firm cause or cure for this strange disorder.

Moebius is extremely rare, genetic and characterized by complete facial paralysis. Sufferers cannot close their eyes, look from side to side, or form facial expressions. Limb abnormalities such as clubbed feet and missing fingers are often also present. According to the Moebius Syndrome Foundation, most cases are isolated, with no notable family history, and sufferers go on to lead long and healthy lives. Family members often learn to recognize body language, posture and vocal tone as communicators of emotion, and sometimes claim they forget the person has facial paralysis altogether.

Story Highlights A look at some of the rarest diseases in the world Morgellons sufferers say strange fibers emerge from their bodies Others like Progeria sees the aging process accelerate much faster than usual. Next Article in Health ». Each month CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta brings viewers health stories from around the world. See more from the show ».

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In severe cases, individuals often enter a coma in the final stages of the disease, followed by low blood pressure that often results in death. In individuals that survive Ebola, lifelong complications are common, including liver inflammation, deafness, chronic fatigue, poor vision, and decreased appetite.

Microscopic image of the Marburg Virus; the deadliest and most dangerous virus in the world. The Marburg Virus is an extremely deadly disease from the Filoviridae family, and is considered the most dangerous virus in the world. After German workers were exposed to infected Grivet Monkeys, seven of the thirty-one people infected by the virus died shortly after. Although the virus has only had a handful of outbreaks over the last fifty years, mortality rates are incredibly high for the Marburg Virus an astounding 90 percent.

The most recent outbreak involved the cases in Angola, where approximately individuals were infected by the virus. Of these, people died from the disease. In addition to primates, it is believed that Fruit Bats are the primary carriers of the virus. For this reason, individuals exposed to mines or caves for prolonged periods of time are particularly susceptible to the disease. Although little is known about the virus, it is believed that the Marburg Virus spreads between humans via direct contact with broken skin, bodily fluids, or contaminated surfaces such as bedding or clothing that has been contaminated with blood, urine, or fecal matter.

Incubation periods for the virus vary from two to twenty-one days. Initial symptoms often begin rapidly, and include high fevers, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, severe diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps , as well as nausea and vomiting.

After five to seven days, infected individuals often develop severe bleeding both internally and externally from the gums, nose, and genital regions. Severe bleeding near venipuncture sites is also common due to the inability of the blood to naturally clot.

By the ninth day, death usually follows. Rapid response and control of outbreak areas remains the best option for controlling the spread of Marburg Virus pathogens. For these reasons particularly its high death rate and lack of treatment options , the Marburg Virus is an incredibly dangerous disease capable of eradicating large populations of people particularly in the event of a Bioterrorist attack. Preston, Richard. Cunha, John P. Accessed August 06, July 23, March 05, December 11, Do not stop or alter your current course of treatment.

If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency. Such an interesting and well structured article Larry. The only one I wasn't familiar with was the 'Marburg Virus'. I love learning something new. Thanks for sharing Larry. I agree percent, Louise!

I had heard of most of these as well. Marburg was a new one for me though. Some scary stuff for sure! Some of them viruses I don't know about, but some I do. There are certainly a lot of deadly viruses out there.

We need to be very careful. This is an excellent article on the most serious viruses. I was somewhat familiar with most of them, but I still learned a lot from you well-written article. Marine Biology. Electrical Engineering. Computer Science. Medical Science. Writing Tutorials. Performing Arts. Visual Arts. Student Life. Vocational Training. Standardized Tests. Online Learning. Social Sciences. Legal Studies. Political Science. Read More From Owlcation.

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