friend is in the hospital, was told he has hunter's disease. i have heard the phrase but still need more info. the friend is 50 years old
2006-07-17 15:58:27 · 3 answers · asked by vin1mom 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
Hunter disease is one of the mucopolysaccharide diseases and is also known as MPS Type II. Hunter disease takes its name from Charles Hunter, the professor of Medicine in Manitoba, Canada, who first described two brothers with the disorder in 1917.
It is devastating news for parents to learn that their child has Hunter disease and some time may pass before it is clear how severely affected the child will be. It is important to remember that the disease is very varied in its effects and that your child will not necessarily have all the symptoms described.
The MPS Society has produced a booklet which shows that, while no magic cure exists, there are many ways of helping children and adults to enjoy their lives and to manage the problems they may have. The booklet has been developed in collaboration with parents and doctors, drawing on their experiences and with reference to medical literature.
What causes Hunter disease?
Mucopolysaccharides are long chains of sugar molecules used in the building of connective tissues in the body. 'Saccharide' is a general term for a sugar molecule (think of saccharin), 'poly' means many and 'muco' refers to the thick jelly-like consistency of the molecules.
There is a continuous process in the body of replacing used materials and breaking them down for disposal. Children with MPS II are missing an enzyme called iduronate sulphate sulphatase which is essential in cutting up the mucopolysaccharides called dermatan and heparan sulphate. The incompletely broken down mucopolysaccharides remain stored in cells in the body causing progressive damage. Babies may show little sign of the disease but, as more and more cells become damaged, symptoms start to appear.
2006-07-17 16:04:18 · answer #1 · answered by MAXIMUS 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hunter's disease is a genetic disease that is X linked in nature. Which means he got it from his parents' chromosomes.
It is a mucopolysaccharidosis disease.
2006-07-17 23:01:36 · answer #2 · answered by PreviouslyChap 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's hereditary. A link for more info is provided below.
2006-07-17 23:03:23 · answer #3 · answered by Mariposa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋