Eight patients at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire have possibly been exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a fatal brain illness, from contaminated equipment.
The rare fatal disease breaks down the brain.
Officials said at a press conference on September 4 that the origin patient has died and an autopsy is underway, reported Lauren Collins.
There is no broad public risk and the risk to exposed patients is considered low.
Dr. Joseph Pepe, president of Catholic Medical Center, says officials are 95 percent certain that a patient who had brain surgery in May and died in August had sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob (KROYTS‘-felt JAY’-kuhb) Disease.
Officials have notified eight people who had brain surgery during that time period, because the faulty proteins that cause the disease can survive standard sterilization. The disease has only been transmitted that way four times, never in the United States.
The contaminated equipment was rented and sent to other states, possibly exposing five other patients.
Neurosurgery equipment has been quarantined until autopsy results on original patient are complete.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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