MPS Awareness Day has come and gone, but that won’t stop us from spreading information!
In honor of MPS Awareness Day (which took place on May 15th), we’d like to do just that by taking a moment to break down the basics of MPS.
To do that, first we have to discuss mucopolysaccharides. Mucopolysaccharides are chains of sugar molecules found throughout the body, but they most commonly accumulate in the fluid around joints and in mucus.
If a person’s body doesn’t have enough of the enzyme that breaks down mucopolyasaccharides, they develop a form of mucopolysacchridosis, or MPS.
Types of MPS include:
With MPS, when the mucopolysaccharides aren’t properly broken down, organ damage frequently occurs.
Symptoms include:
- mental disability
- connective tissue problems
- bone problems
- abnormal facial features
These disorders are genetic in nature, but only one–Hunter Syndrome–is linked to gender. Daughters of fathers with Hunter Syndrome will carry the gene and pass the disorder to their male offspring.
Because MPS is so rare, most people have never heard of it.
The MPS Society in Great Britain, as well as other MPS awareness groups, hope to change that, but we can all do our parts as individuals as well.
No matter what day it is, let’s make sure as many people know about MPS as possible.
Stay strong! Stay hopeful! And stay informed!
How do you try to raise rare disease awareness, even outside of Rare Disease Days? Tell us below!
