Bordetella pertussis produces tracheal cytotoxin, which stops the cilia from beating. This prevents the cilia from clearing debris from the lungs, so the body responds by sending the host into a coughing fit. These coughs expel some bacteria into the air, which are free to infect other hosts. "B. pertussis" has the ability to inhibit the function of the host's immune system. The toxin, known as pertussis toxin (or PTx), inhibits G protein coupling that regulates an adenylate cyclase-mediated conversion of ATP to cyclic AMP. The end result is phagocytes convert too much ATP to cyclic AMP, which can cause disturbances in
Unverricht–Lundborg disease ULD, MRIs taken once the disease has progressed show characteristic damage, which may help to correct a misdiagnosis. While ULD is a rare disease, the lack of well defined cases to study and the difficulty in confirming diagnosis provide strong evidence that this disease is likely under diagnosed. Unverricht–Lundborg disease is also known as EPM1, as it is a form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME). Other progressive myoclonic epilepsies include myoclonus epilepsy and ragged red fibers (MERRF syndrome), Lafora disease (EPM2a or EMP2b), Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) and sialidosis. Progressive myoclonic epilepsies generally constitute only a small percentage of epilepsy