United States: A rare progressive brain disease identical to “mad cow disease” killed two Oregon residents while guaranteeing 100% death.
The Hood River County Health Department announced two deaths from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in April 14 reports while revealing that three instances of the disease, including one confirmed case and two probable cases, had occurred during the past eight months. The Department of Health confirmed that both subjects died from the rare brain disease, as reported by USA Today.
Experts at the health department still cannot identify any connections between the three patients’ illnesses. The disease poses an “extremely low” risk of transmission because its spread cannot occur through airborne, physical, or social transmission or fluid contact.
Health department officials report ongoing investigations into verified cases and detailed public health monitoring activities to verify safety.
About this disease?
The brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease develops from a misfolded protein named prion located within brain tissues and neural cells.
2 dead from rare mad cow-like brain disease in Oregon, county health officials say
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There are about 500 new cases of the disease in humans per year in the US, according to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation.
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Each year the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation reports that approximately 500 Americans develop the human form of this disease.
The health department confirmed most instances of the disease appear without an established causing factor. Very limited exposure to human prion-infected tissues through medical treatments or beef consumption can result in the transmission of this condition. Additionally “very rare cases” of familial inheritance and medical exposures to infected brain or nervous tissue through infected beef consumption also cause this disease transmission.
Symptoms of this disease?
People with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease experience memory issues and difficulties with walking, coordination, speech, and behavioral changes as described by the health department.
The Mayo Clinic outlines additional symptoms which include several related to sleep patterns and vision along with swallowing difficulties.
The death period from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease spans one year based on Mayo Clinic research which also emphasizes that medical complications linked to the illness cause most patient fatalities. People with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease experience problems with digestion as well as physical accidents and heart troubles and respiratory problems and infections and pneumonia.