50-Year Latency: Woman Dies From Prion Disease Contracted in Childhood
2025-05-30
Scientists report a rare case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in a 58-year-old woman, likely contracted through contaminated human growth hormone (HGH) treatments received 50 years prior. This potentially represents the longest documented latency period for this fatal disease. The case highlights the insidious nature of prion diseases: long incubation periods and resistance to standard sterilization methods. While cadaver-derived HGH is banned, the potential for delayed onset cases remains a concern.