Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Transmission of infective agent through contaminated growth hormone preparations and possibly through food.
- The possible potentiating role of pesticides and other foreign chemicals, and nutritional deficiencies remains to be investigated.
- Medications containing bismuth may cause a similar syndrome.
A patient given a bismuth preparation for 15 months developed an encephalopathy resembling Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease but recovered when the bismuth was discontinued. Bismuth preparations are commonly used in the treatment of gastritis. Von Bose MJ et al: Encephalopathy resembling Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease following oral, prescribed doses of bismuth nitrate. Br J Psychiatry 158:278-80, 1991.