Cause of eight N.B. 'mystery' brain disease deaths identified by pathologist
A neuropathologist who examined the deaths of eight people in New Brunswick initially described as having a mysterious neurological disease says the deaths were actually due to known diseases.
A summary of the study led by Dr. Gerard Jansen of the University of Ottawa, posted this month on the Canadian Association of Neuropathologists website, says the original cases were "misclassified clinical diagnoses."
In March, New Brunswick health officials alerted the province's doctors, nurses and pharmacists about a cluster of residents with an unknown and potentially new neurological syndrome with symptoms similar to those of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Jansen's study indicates that those who died had diseases that included known neurodegenerative diseases and cancers.
He identified health issues that included Alzheimer's disease, metastatic cancer, frontotemporal degeneration, Lewy body disease and vascular disease.
The abstract notes the cluster had been reported at around 50 cases, and eight people in that group have died since 2019. The Canadian Association of Neuropathologists declined a request to provide access to the full report.
Jansen and his co-authors say in the abstract they hope the findings are useful to a provincial committee set up this June to review the clinical and epidemiological data of the patients in the cluster.
Jansen has been involved in clinical surveillance of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, one of a group of rare progressive neurodegenerative disorders known as prion diseases, for over 30 years.
"During that time he has seen all types of prion diseases passing by ... but also many look-alike neurological diseases," says the abstract.
Steve Ellis, whose father had been identified as having the mysterious neurological disease, said news of Jansen's findings came out of the blue.
"For the last two-and-a-half years my father has been told what he doesn't have by two neurologists who are on the oversight committee in New Brunswick. If he has something that is a known disease, why hasn't he been diagnosed yet?" Ellis asked in an interview Tuesday evening.
"There are too many questions coming from this very vague report, which the government of New Brunswick didn't tell us was coming," he said. "It doesn't answer the questions of those who are still living and why they're sick and why they don't have a diagnosis."
Ellis's father, Roger Ellis, who is being cared for at a seniors home in Bathurst, turned 64 on Tuesday.
Ellis said he had spoken earlier in the day with family members of other patients suspected of having the mysterious neurological disease, and they were very upset.
The New Brunswick government launched a website in April to update the public on what it called a "neurological syndrome of unknown cause." Health officials have a news conference scheduled Wednesday to discuss the status of their investigation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021.
-- With files from Michael Tutton in Halifax
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.