Differential diagnoses for Konzo are lathyrism and paraparesis apparently caused by geographical location or bad genes…go figure

The clinical symptoms are strikingly similar to those of lathyrism and also similar to tropical spastic paraparesis and hereditary spastic paraparesis, only that the latter two disorders have a slow onset. Konzo is distinct from polio which is a flaccid paralysis and most often affects a person asymmetrically.^{[citation needed]}

Konzo is one of several tropical neuropathies. A distinct myeloneuropathy also associated to cyanogen intake from cassava is tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN), as first described in parts of Nigeria by B. O. Osuntokun in 1968. The disease is still occurring in the same areas.

• Kashala-Abotnes, E; Okitundu, D; Mumba, D; Boivin, MJ; Tylleskär, T; Tshala-Katumbay, D (February 2019). “Konzo: a distinct neurological disease associated with food (cassava) cyanogenic poisoning”. Brain Research Bulletin. 145: 87–91. doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.07.001. PMC 6626527. PMID 29981837.
• Oluwole OS, Onabolu AO, Link H, Rosling H (July 2000). “Persistence of tropical ataxic neuropathy in a Nigerian community”. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 69 (1): 96–101. doi:10.1136/jnnp.69.1.96. PMC 1736992. PMID 10864612.
• Osuntokun BO (June 1968). “An ataxic neuropathy in Nigeria. A clinical, biochemical and electrophysiological study”. Brain. 91 (2): 215–48. doi:10.1093/brain/91.2.215. PMID 5721927.
• World Health Organization (1996). “Konzo, a distinct type of upper motor neuron disease” (PDF). Weekly Epidemiological Record (in English and French). Geneva. 71: 225–232.

Diagnosis

The WHO has recommended three criteria for the diagnosis of konzo:^{[citation needed]}

• a visible symmetric spastic abnormality of gait while walking or running;
• a history of onset of less than one week followed by a non-progressive course in a formerly healthy person;
• bilaterally exaggerated knee or ankle jerk reflexes without signs of disease of the spine.

Depending on its severity, konzo is divided into three categories: mild when individuals are able to walk without support, moderate when individuals need one or two sticks to walk, and severe when the affected person is unable to walk unsupported.

• Nzwalo H, Cliff J. (2011). “Konzo: from poverty, cassava, and cyanogen intake to toxico-nutritional neurological disease”. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 5 (6): e1051. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001051. PMC 3125150. PMID 21738800.

I feel a little dumber just reading this garbage but I want the notes.