Category FAQs Search : Leigh Syndrome (Leigh’s Disease)
Question: How common is Leigh syndrome (Leigh’s disease)?
Answer: Classic (early-onset) Leigh syndrome affects approximately 1 in 40,000 newborns worldwide. Experts aren’t sure why certain geographic populations are more at risk for Leigh syndrome.
The condition affects:
a) 1 in 2,000 newborns in the Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada.
b) 1 in 1,700 newborns on the Faroe Islands located between Iceland and Scotland.
(Source: Cleveland Clinic, 21 Nov 2025)
Source Link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6037-leigh-syndrome-leighs-disease