MERRF

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MERRF

ORPHA:551Disease

Also called Fukuhara syndrome · Myoclonus epilepsy associated with ragged-red fibres

What it is

A rare mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation disorder characterized by myoclonic seizures, ataxia, generalized epilepsy, muscle weakness and ragged red fibers in the muscle biopsy.

Key facts

Prevalence
1-9 / 1 000 000 (at birth, Sweden)
Age of onset
Adult, Childhood
Inheritance
Mitochondrial inheritance
Classified as
Disease

Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

Genes

MT-ND5Disease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-TFDisease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-THDisease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-TKDisease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-TL1Disease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-TPDisease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-TS1Disease-causing germline mutation(s)
MT-RNR1Candidate gene tested
MT-TQCandidate gene tested
MT-TS2Candidate gene tested

ICD-10 codes

G71.3filed under a broader ICD-10 category — shared with 27 other rare diseases

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Benefit programs to look at

Programs whose eligibility touches the same ICD-10 categories. Eligibility is decided by the administering agency, never by this page.

Cross-references

GARD 7144MEDDRA 10069825MESH D017243MONDO 0010790OMIM 545000UMLS C0162672

Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.

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