Image source: HealthDay
United States: Health officials from Hood River County Oregon examine three potential instances of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This rare brain disorder advances rapidly. All patients passed away and medical experts have identified one case through autopsy examinations but the remaining two deaths present compelling evidence for CJD.
Due to its 24,000 residents the county stands in heightened security status while health authorities probe for resolutions, as reported by HealthDay.
What Is CJD?
CJD is caused by prions which are infectious brain-destroying proteins that lead patients to develop quick dementia and experience physical deterioration as well as personality changes. The disease leads to death in every case and scientists do not have a solution for a cure at present.
Every year the National Institutes of Health records approximately 350 new CJD diagnoses in the United States. Sporadic cases comprise 85% of all Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease diagnoses because the cause remains unknown. Genetic inheritance along with contaminated beef consumption (variant CJD) cause some rare instances of this disease but the Oregon cases do not show evidence of either.
Diagnosis Is Complex and Slow
“Only a post-mortem test of brain or spinal fluid can confirm the disease,” explained Trish Elliott, director of the Hood River County Health Department. These results can take months to finalize.
Elliott also noted the difficulty in identifying common risk factors:
“It’s pretty hard in some cases to come up with what the real cause is.”
Currently, no connection to cattle transmission has been found, and no information has been released regarding the victims’ identities or possible family relations.
Experts Urge Medical Vigilance
According to National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center director Dr. Brian Appleby CJD diagnosis requires brain tissue microscopic examination and tests for prion proteins and genetic analyses for inherited cases, as reported by HealthDay.
Alerts distributed by Hood River County Health Department compel medical professionals to track patients for signs of CJD symptoms, including:
- Rapidly progressing dementia
- Movement and coordination issues
- Personality or behavioral changes
Community on Alert as Investigation Continues
Health experts keep a close watch on the situation but no major public health threat exists. The analyzed cases demonstrate both the extreme scarcity and life-threatening characteristics of CJD and the need for quick detection and notification.
