Race with time Too young to already be old About Progeria "Isolating the Progeria gene is a major achievement for the medical research community," said Dr. Collins, "The discovery not only gives hope to children and families affected by Progeria, but also may shed light on the phenomenon of aging and cardiovascular disease." Definition Progeria is a progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, beginning in their first two years of life. Progeria is one of the rarest diseases on earth; since 1886, only about 130 cases of progeria have been documented in the scientific literature. Children with progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), generally appear normal at birth. By 12 months, signs and symptoms, such as skin changes and hair loss, begin to appear. The average life expectancy for a child with progeria is 13, but some with the disease die younger and some live 20 years or longer. Heart problems or stroke is the eventual cause of death in most children with progeria. There's no cure for this condition, but ongoing research shows some promise for treatment.
Synonyms of Progeria: * HGPS * Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, * Premature Aging Syndrome, * Progeria of Childhood, * Progeria Infantiles
How common is Progeria? Progeria has a reported incidence of about 1 in 4 - 8 million newborns. It affects both sexes equally and all races. In the past 15 years, children with Progeria have been reported all over the world, including in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia.
As of December 2010, here is where the 78 known children with Progeria live: |