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from PIEN PREVALENCE OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE Worldwide, based on the available prevalence studies, there are likely to be more than 6 million people with Parkinson's Disease. However, due to so many people with Parkinson's Disease remaining undiagnosed, there may be millions more. In China alone there are more than 1.7 million people with Parkinson's Disease. WORLD'S HIGHEST PREVALENCE The world's highest prevalence of Parkinson's Disease is in Nebraska, U.S.A. with 329.3 people per 100,000 population. It is possible that the very high number in Nebraska is due to the heavy use of insecticides in what is largely a farming area. The Parsi community of Bombay, India have a prevalence of Parkinson's Disease of 328.3 per 100,000 population, which is almost in excess of that found in Nebraska. This is despite India as a whole having a low prevalence of Parkinson's Disease. The Parsi practice Zoroastrianism, a religion based on the teachings of Zoroaster. As part of their religion, the Parsis in Bombay burn Aspand seeds on charcoal to rid their children of the Evil Eye, which is the name for a sickness transmitted, usually without intention, by someone who is envious, jealous, or covetous. The fumes are often inhaled. Aspand seed is the richest natural source of two alkaloids, harmine and harmaline. They are a type of drug known as MAO Inhibitors, a type of drug used in Parkinson's Disease. Long term use of a drug, such as MAO inhibitors, eventually has the opposite effect, and so may cause the high prevalence of Parkinson's Disease amongst the Parsi. WORLD'S LOWEST PREVALENCE Ethiopia has the world's lowest recorded prevalence of Parkinson's Disease. At a rate of only 7 per 100,000 it is far below the world's highest prevalence rate of 329 per 100,000 in Nebraska, U.S.A.. As Parkinson's Disease tends to be more common in older people, the very low prevalence in Ethiopia may result from the very low life expectancy in Ethiopia. Few prevalence studies have been carried out in African countries. For most African countries the figures are not known. If they were, other countries in the same region as Ethiopia, or even in other parts of Africa may produce even lower prevalence figures than those of Ethiopia. PREVALENCE BY COUNTRY The prevalence for each country per 100,000 of population, in those countries in which it is known, from highest to lowest is : U.S.A. 329-107, San Marino 185, Faeroe Islands 183, Germany 183, Spain 170-122, Italy 168, Finland 166-120, Bulgaria 164-137, Estonia 152, Australia 146, England 139-121, Portugal 135, Cuba 135, Canada 125, China 119-57, Scotland 103, Norway 102, Japan 99 - 76, Sweden 76, New Zealand 76, Nigeria 67, Bolivia 50, Libya 31, Colombia 31, Korea 19, Ethiopia 7. The prevalence differs from country to country and can even differ within countries. The prevalence amongst Bulgarian Gypsies is only one tenth of that found amongst other Bulgarians. The prevalence in the U.S.A. tends to differ according to race, with Hispanics, then Whites, then Asians, then Blacks being more prone. However, other studies have given different results. AGE DISTRIBUTION In 1875, Henri Huchard (1844-1911) detailed the first case of Juvenile Parkinson's Disease. He described a 3 year old child who had all the clinical features of Parkinson's Disease. The youngest reported case of Parkinson's Disease since then is that of a 10 year old girl from Okalahoma, who showed her first symptoms of Parkinson's Disease at only 2 years old. However, it is very uncommon for people under the age of 30 to develop Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's Disease usually occurs when people are significantly older than that and becomes increasingly more common with age. The average age at which symptoms usually begin differs from county to country, with the oldest average onset being in Sweden 65.6, and Estonia 66.9. However, Parkinson's Disease doesnot become progressively more likely with age, because amongst the very oldest of people (those between 110 and 119 years old) Parkinson's Disease is very uncommon. GENDER DIFFERENCES There are more men than women with Parkinson's Disease. However, the ratio of males to females differs a lot according to the country. There is a stark contrast between a clear male dominance in Spain, and Japan, where far more Japanese women than men have Parkinson's Disease. The ratio of males to females, in those countries in which it is known, from highest to lowest is : Spain 2.55-2.06, Taiwan 2.4, U.S.A. 1.91-1.0, Finland 1.7, Netherlands 1.54, France 1.4, Norway 1.35, Canada 1.21-1.16, Portugal 1.08, San Marino 1.02, Sweden > 1.0, Argentina > 1.0, Estonia < 1.0, Finland < 1.0, Italy 0.98, Netherlands 1.00-0.92, Japan 0.71 - 0.67. INCIDENCE RATES The rate at which people with Parkinson's Disease are newly diagnosed differs greatly according to the country. The incidence for each country, in which it is known, per 100,000 of population per year from highest to lowest is : U.S.A. 20.5-13.0, Japan 16.9 - 10.2, Estonia 16.8, Finland 16.6-14.9, England 12, Netherlands 11.5, Italy 10.1, Sweden 7.9, Libya 4.5. OCCUPATIONAL DIFFERENCES Parkinson's Disease was found to be far more common amongst welders. Prevalence was also significantly higher amongst physicians, dentists, teachers, lawyers, scientists, and religion-related jobs. Computer programmers had a younger age at PD diagnosis, and risk of diagnosis. Clerical occupations were also positively associated with Parkinson's Disease. Those people involved in manufacturing and transportation were less likely to get Parkinson's Disease. Agricultural workers were more prone to Parkinson's Disease as were those involved in hunting and forestry. Parkinson's Disease is more common in rural areas, but it differs according to the country. The ratio of rural to urban cases, in those countries in which it is known, from highest to lowest is : Italy 2.03-1.14, Estonia 1.14, Sweden 1.3. Back to PARKINSON'S DISEASE ©2006 Viartis ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn