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Wilson disease is a rare inherited disorder that stops the body getting rid of extra copper.
What goes wrong
You need a small amount of copper from food to stay healthy, but too much is poisonous. Normally the liver passes extra copper into bile, a digestive fluid. In Wilson disease, copper builds up in the liver instead, and the liver releases it straight into the bloodstream. That can damage the brain, kidneys and eyes.
When and how it shows
The disease is present from birth, but symptoms usually begin between the ages of 5 and 35. It attacks the liver first, or the central nervous system, or both. Its most characteristic sign is a rusty brown ring around the cornea of the eye.
A physical exam and laboratory tests can diagnose it.
Treatment
Medicines remove the extra copper from the body. You will need to take medicine and keep to a low-copper diet for the rest of your life:
- don't eat shellfish or liver, which may be high in copper;
- at the start of treatment, also avoid chocolate, mushrooms and nuts;
- have your drinking water tested for copper;
- don't take multivitamins that contain copper.
Found early and treated properly, people with Wilson disease can enjoy good health.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Wilson Disease," drawing on the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://medlineplus.gov/wilsondisease.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licenza: CC0 1.0 (pubblico dominio) · Tratto da medlineplus.gov
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