Hereditary tyrosinemia

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Hereditary Tyrosinemia

Background

From wikipedia:Hereditary_Tyrosinemias

Tyrosinemia (or "Tyrosinaemia") is an error of metabolism, usually inborn, in which the body cannot effectively break down the amino acid tyrosine. Symptoms include liver and kidney disturbances and mental retardation.

Most inborn forms of tyrosinemia produce hypertyrosinemia (high levels of tyrosine).

From National Organization for Rare Disorders

Tyrosinemia type I is a rare genetic metabolic disorder characterized by lack of the enzyme fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH), which is needed to break down the amino acid tyrosine. Failure to properly break down tyrosine leads to abnormal accumulation of tyrosine and its metabolites in the liver, potentially resulting in severe liver disease. Tyrosine may also accumulate in the kidneys and central nervous system.

Symptoms and physical findings associated with tyrosinemia type I include failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive), fever, diarrhea, vomiting, an abnormally enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), and yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice). Tyrosinemia type I may progress to more serious complications such as severe liver disease. Tyrosinemia type one is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

Current Treatments

Nitisinone

Further Reading

wikipedia:Hereditary_Tyrosinemias

National Organization for Rare Disorders

eMedicine Pediatrics

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