Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmitted by a cadaveric dura mater graft

Abstract

We report a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease developing in a 31-year-old woman 56 months after she received a cadaveric dura mater graft after the removal of a giant pituitary adenoma. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was confirmed by a brain autopsy and the existence of an abnormal isoform of prion protein, verified by both immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis. Moreover, prion protein gene analysis was shown in this case to possess a wild-type genotype. The characteristics of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease after a cadaveric dura mater graft are reviewed and discussed.