World’s freakiest illnesses – from human werewolf to strolling corpse syndrome

Extremely rare diseases have baffled scientists for generations with some no closer to a cure now than they were then.

Conditions suffered by fewer than 200,000 people include Elephant Man syndrome, alien hand syndrome and a disease that leaves sufferers looking like a human warewolf.

Elephant man syndrome, also known as proteus syndrome, was highlighted in the 1980 Hollywood film called The Elephant Man. It is based on the real-life case of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man who lived in London in the late 1800s until his death at the age of 27.

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The incurable condition causes abnormal growth of bone tissue in certain parts of the body and can be prevalent from six to 18 months of age, MailOnline reports.

Caused by a faulty gene, malformations grow on or around the skull, abdomen, hands and feet. Life expectancy ranges from nine months to 30 years.

Human werewolf syndrome causes hair to grow uncontrollably over a person’s whole body, including their face.

Also known as congenital hypertrichosis lanuginosa (CHL), the condition is present from birth and symptoms appear in early childhood.

The hair grows up to two inches, but can be longer in more severe cases.

CHL is believed to be an inherited genetic condition. There is no cure, but patients can manage the signs and symptoms, including repeated shaving, waxing, bleaching, cutting or plucking of the hair.

Walking corpse syndrome – also known as Cotard’s syndrome – is another rare condition that causes people to believe parts of their body are missing, or that they are dead or dying.

Only 200 cases have been documented worldwide. There is no known cause, although experts say it could be a symptom of a deeper neurological problem.

Alice in Wonderland syndrome was so named in 1955 by British psychiatrist Dr John Todd because sufferers feel their body is growing larger and smaller, much like the character in the famous Lewis Carroll book.

Also called Todd’s syndrome or dysmetropsia, sufferers of the condition experience a severely distorted self image, believing their heads and hands are either growing disproportionately large or are shrinking.

People with Alice in Wonderland syndrome also see objects as the wrong size and shape, appearing larger or smaller than they actually are.

They may also experience distortion with distances and see a relatively short hallway as never ending.

From 1955 to 2015, just 169 cases were described in medical literature.

Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is a disorder in which a person’s hand moves on its own.

It is also referred to a Dr Strangelove syndrome and sees the hand, frequently the left one, move and perform actions without a person being aware.

The hand may move independently to perform tasks, such as scratching or unbuttoning pyjamas without the person’s knowledge.

One patient told medics her alien hand tried to intermittently choke her.

Fish odour syndrome is also known as trimethylaminuria and is caused by a defect in the FMO3 gene.

The inherited condition causes a build up of trimethylamine – the compound that gives rotten fish and other sea creatures their pungent odour.

Because people with trimethylaminuria can’t process the compound, large amounts of it accumulate in urine, sweat and a person’s breath – making them smell like fish.

There are no other symptoms of the condition, but it can lead to severe psychological and emotional issues.

There is no cure fish odor syndrome but management can include changes in diet, acidic soaps, probiotics, activated charcoal, lotions and vitamin B12 supplements.

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