By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterPRELIMINARY REPORTS received by the Ministry of Health (MoH) indicate that a patient died at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) from a neurological condition that mimics symptoms of the rare disease, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), a human variant of 'mad cow' disease.
Dr. Barry Wint, chief medical
officer, in confirming receipt of the reports, stressed that a 'notified case' of the rare disease has not been conclusively identified at this time.
DISEASE-CAUSING AGENT
The patient reportedly travelled extensively outside of Jamaica in the recent past and may have eaten meals infected with the disease-causing agent while overseas.
More than 100 persons in the United Kindom have died from the disease after eating tainted beef.
"For a Jamaican to have this condition (vCJD), they would have to be in a BSE (infected) country," Dr. Wint told The Gleaner yesterday. "So panic doesn't (have to) arise."
"BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is one of the causes of this syndrome (vCJD), but it's not the sole cause," the CMO explained. "Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease can occur independently as well as in relation to mad cow disease."
BSE has been mostly identified in France, Portugal, Britain and Canada. Jamaica usually imports beef products from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Australia.
CAUTION
Dr. Wint said that organisms other than the one linked to BSE can cause vCJD, but he was unable to state what these were as he would need to research it. He, however, cautioned that vCJD has been around
long before BSE was identified and diagnosed.
"When I went to medical school we were taught about the disease, but I hadn't seen it here," he said.
Reports reaching The Gleaner last week were that a sports personality died from the rare disease recently after admission to the UHWI. When our newsroom contacted the UHWI to confirm the report, Stephanie Reid, the hospital's chief executive officer, emphasised that no patient at the hospital had died from BSE.
Dr. Wint said that the MoH will be investigating the case to determine the circumstances under which the patient became afflicted with the disease.
"They (authorities) have to enquire into the full travel history of the person and see where they contracted it (vCJD)," the CMO stated.
He added that he was unable to publicly disclose the patient's name, due to professional confidentiality. Dr. Wint said, however, that a public statement will be made if MoH investigations confirm its preliminary suspicion.
