Creutzfeldt Jacob’s Disease: A Senegalese Observation

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Creuzfelt-Jakob Disease is a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in fatal, transmissible, subacute, spongiform encephalopathy characterized by rapidly progressive dementia and movement disorder. We present a 62-year-old male with no medical history who was admitted to our hospital because of gait and balance disturbance, language impairment and progressive motor deficit of the four limbs. A neurological examination found frontal lobe syndrome signs, myoclonic movements, pyramidal and extra-pyramidal signs. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging detected high intensity areas in the basal ganglia. EEG showed generalized triphasic sharp-wave complexes. A Cerebro Spinal Fluid examination found protein 14-3-3. Death occurred six months after onset. This is the first known case of Creuzfelt-Jakob Disease documented in Senegal.