Unusual Diseases Trivia Quiz

Answer: Newborns

Laryngolmalacia is a condition present in newborns in which the epiglottis partially obstructs the airway, resulting in noisy inspirational breathing. The affected baby will emit a high-pitched breathing sound known as stridor. Simply place said baby on his belly to make breathing easier. Most babies outgrow this condition by 18 months of age.

Answer: Irregular heartbeat

Apert's syndrome is a genetic disease characterized by premature closure of the cranial sutures of the skull, resulting in a pointed head and odd-shaped face. This also causes the eyes to bulge from their sockets. For some reason, many victims have webbed hands and feet as well.

Answer: Eyes

Achromatopsia is a hereditary vision disorder affecting approximately one in 33,000 Americans. It results in abnormal cone vision, causing the victim to be color-blind and hypersensitive to light.

Answer: Klippel-Feil syndrome

Klippel-Feil syndrome results in a shortening of the neck and a reduced range of motion. The person may also develop scoliosis and osteoarthritis. Many cases are never diagnosed, as it is possible to have the syndrome without realizing it.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Marfan's syndrome, named for French physician Antoine Marfan, is a disorder of the connective tissue in which the spine curves abnormally. The sufferer is usually tall and thin, with long arms and legs (typically described as "gangling"). Researchers have determined that Lincoln most likely suffered from the disorder.

It is believed that poor Abe also had bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder.

Answer: Bruxism

Bruxism affects approximately 15 percent of the population. It is believed to be related to stress or anxiety. (My dentist told me I do this- I guess he could tell by looking at my teeth).

Answer: Facial paralysis

Moebius syndrome is a rare condition, apparently genetic, in which the sixth and seventh cranial nerves do not fully develop. The result is a lifelong facial paralysis, in which the affected person cannot smile, frown, blink, or move her eyes. It is usually detected in infants who are unable to suck and must be provided with a special device with which to eat.

Answer: Dermatologist

Hidradenitis suppurativa is an uncommon disease of the skin characterized by boil-like lumps in the groin or axilla (armpits). Treatment may include antibiotics or drainage of abcesses.

Answer: Bright light

Photic sneezing, also called photic sneezing reflex, occurs when sudden exposure to bright light results in an overwhelming urge to sneeze. It is theorized that this results from a crossing of the optic nerve fibers with the trigeminal nerve, a cranial nerve which is basically responsible for producing a sneeze. Since everything must have a cute acronym, this has one too: ACHOO syndrome (autosomal dominant compelling helioopthalmic outburst).

Answer: Ashkenazi Jews

Canavan disease is an inherited disorder, usually fatal, characterized by degeneration of the white matter of the brain. The victim lacks the enzyme aspartoacylase, which results in the accumulation of N-acetylaspartic acid in the brain. The disease is believed to be autosomal recessive, meaning that an abnormal gene is on one of the first 22 non-sex chromosomes. One of the earliest signs, present from three to five months of age, is lack of head control. (Ashkenazi Jews are those Jews of Eastern European descent).

Answer: A tick

Tularemia, also called deerfly or rabbit fever, is an infection in wild rodents from the organism Francisella tularensis. The most common way it is transmitted to humans is via ticks, which may bite an infected animal and then a human. The disease is rare in the US.

Answer: Krabbe's disease

Krabbe's disease is an inherited, usually fatal, disease characterized by the deficiency of the enzyme galactocerebroside beta- galactosidase. This results in the destruction of myelin, a fatty material that insulates nerves. This disease, which results in a progressive destruction of the nervous system, is more common in individuals of Scandinavian descent.

Answer: Southwestern US

Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever for short, is a lung disease found in the southwestern US and northwest Mexico. It's caused by the fungus coccidioides immitis, which grows in soils where the temperature is high and the rainfall is low. (And I thought you went to the desert to get away from lung diseases!)

Answer: Venous malformations

This disease, also called Bean's syndrome, is a congenital disorder characterized by groups of abnormal blood vessels in the skin and gastrointestinal tract. In 1958 it was named by a Dr. Bean, who called the characteristic vessels "blue rubber bleb nevi" after their color, texture, and bladder-like appearance. Fortunately, this is a very rare disease, with only 400 known cases in the world.

Answer: true

You should have known this was true- everything's a disorder nowadays! According to the websites, this "disease" is actually a manifestation of anxiety or depression, and may be one's attempt at avoiding problems in "real life". (You mean the internet's not real life?)