Case Report Open Access

A Unique Presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient Consuming Deer Antler Velvet

Joseph Wiedemer1, Yanely Sanchez Ceja1, An Cao1 and Ibrahim Mustafa1
  • 1 Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States

Abstract

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare rapidly progressive neurodegenerative prion disorder that is usually sporadic but may also be acquired from exposure to infected sources, classically via infections of bovine or human etiology. Cervid transmission of CJD is of particular concern in North America given the rapid spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)- the Cervid version of CJD. We present a 61-year-old male patient admitted to our service with a one month history of progressive confusion and gait instability, which led to an initial suspicion of Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) with unusually rapid progression. CJD was also suspected upon learning that the patient began taking deer antler velvet and bovine colostrum supplements roughly two months prior. The diagnosis of CJD was subsequently confirmed by MRI and RT-QuIC CSF assay. Providers should consider Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in the differential diagnosis of a patient with cervid exposure and/or in patients with a presentation resembling corticobasal degeneration, especially if symptom onset is rapid. Although it is unclear how this patient acquired CJD, the potential for prion transmission from cervids to humans should be further investigated by the academic community with considerable urgency.

American Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 17 No. 1, 2021, 43-48

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2021.43.48

Submitted On: 17 February 2021 Published On: 18 March 2021

How to Cite: Wiedemer, J., Ceja, Y. S., Cao, A. & Mustafa, I. (2021). A Unique Presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Patient Consuming Deer Antler Velvet. American Journal of Infectious Diseases, 17(1), 43-48. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2021.43.48

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Keywords

  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  • Prion Disease
  • Chronic Wasting Disease
  • Corticobasal Syndrome
  • Deer Antler Velvet