The Minister for Health & Family Welfare of Karnataka recently directed the health department officials to undertake a scientific study of Handigodu disease.
About Handigodu Disease:
It is a rare and peculiar osteoarthritic disorder (bone and joint disease) prevalent in Shimoga and Chikmagalur Districts of Karnataka.
It is named after the village of Handigodu, where it was first noticed, in Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka.
It is an inherited degenerative osteoarthropathy.
In this progressive skeletal system disorder, affected individuals are presented with severe joint and hip pain.
In certain extreme cases in adults, crippled individuals are made to crawl due to pain.
Lack of normal growth is noticeable from early childhood, such as deformation of the limbs and dwarfism.
Symptom onset is at preadolescence (as early as age 10) to young adulthood.
Difficulty in walking and pain in hip joints eventually affect HS patients' locomotion and nominal routine chores.
The prevalence of HS in the general population may not be meaningful as it is restricted to a specific geographic region. However, it is known to have killed over 1000 people since it was first noticed around 1975.
Though not clinically identical, Handigodu Disease is akin to Mseleni Joint Disease in the Zululand of South Africa.
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