How Rare Is Ffi?

The sporadic form of FFI, known as sporadic fatal insomnia (SFI), is extremely rare and has only been described in the medical literature in about two dozen people. Collectively, prion disorders affect about 1 person per million people in the general population per year.

What are the chances of getting FFI?

The disease has been identified in about 40 families worldwide, and about 100 individuals have been diagnosed. The gene that's mutated to create FFI is dominant, which means if a parent passes on a single copy of the mutation, the offspring has a 50 percent chance of developing the disorder.

How many cases are in FFI?

Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a rare prion disease first described by Lugaresi et al., in 19861. The prevalence of FFI is one case per a million population per year, with only about 57 cases in 27 kindreds have been reported worldwide2.

Chloe Bennett

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.