Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a rare and serious disease that causes abnormal proteins to build up in the body's tissues. These abnormal, insoluble proteins are called amyloid fibrils. Amyloidosis can be fatal. 

In "local amyloidosis," amyloid deposits build up in just one part of the body, or in a single organ system. In "systemic amyloidosis," the deposits build up in organs and tissues throughout the body.

Because amyloidosis can affect different parts of the body, it can cause many different symptoms. It can be challenging to confirm that amyloid fibrils are in the body's tissues, which can delay diagnosis.

 Types 
There are many different types of amyloidosis. Each is caused by the formation of amyloid fibrils. However, these fibrils develop from different types of proteins in different patients. About 30 different proteins are known to form amyloid fibrils in humans. Amyloidosis is named and classified according to which protein is causing a person's amyloid fibrils.  

Though this disease is rare, many famous people have died from amyloidosis, including Martin McGuinness, David Lange, Robert Jordan Robert P. Casey and Pervez Musharraf.

References

Other websites
 National Press Club Luncheon with Michael York, August 2016. Michael York who has amyloidosis, speaks from 4:00-60:00

Category:Diseases