Write An Essay On Paget's Disease

Paget's Disease of bone is the result of abnormalities in the bone remodeling and breakdown process. This leads to bones within the body becoming quite misshaped and weak. A decrease in the activity of the cells, known as osteoclasts that participate in the breaking down of the bone cell matrix through the release of enzymes and mineral components is a contributing factor to Paget's disease. In addition to low osteoclast activity, the cells that build the extracellular matrix of bone tissue, known as osteoblasts, continue to increasingly build the bone. This subsequently leads to excessive formation and breakdown of bone. Because of these factors, Paget's disease is also known as osteitis deformans, and "...is the second [most] common metabolic bone condition after osteoporosis" (Tuck). This disease most commonly affects adults around the ages of fifty and beyond. There are many factors revolving around Paget's disease that are constantly being studied and clarified such as the causes of the disease, tests to diagnose and identify it, possible treatments, and the expected outcome of a person that has been affected.

Possible viral causes of Paget's disease are associated with slow virus infections that are present for many years before symptoms appear. According to Mills, "[These] viral infections include respiratory syncytial virus and the canine distemper virus" (Mills). Historically, the measles virus was a suspected viral infection leading to Paget's disease as well, but modern studies have found that this conclusion is doubtful. Instead, it has been heavily debated that the association of measles to Paget's disease may have been due to laboratory errors and