Mad cow disease: the mysterious death of the biochemist who studied it

A biochemist who studied the deadly and incurable Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or “mad cow disease,” died in Spain and may have become infected.

According to El Pais, an investigation is underway in Barcelona into the mysterious death of a scientist who achieved significant results in his work, but suddenly took sick leave from which he never returned. The symptoms of his illness were similar to those of “mad cow disease,” a neurodegenerative disease: memory loss and impaired muscle coordination.

The biochemist hid his diagnosis and died at the age of 45. Thousands of “unauthorized” and “potentially dangerous” samples of biomaterials were found in the laboratory’s freezer. During the investigation, their origin is revealed.

After the death of the scientist, the university where he worked issued an order to immediately close and disinfect the laboratory. Samples were sent for analysis. Only four months later it became clear that they were potentially contagious.

It remains unknown how and where the scientist became infected – either while working with samples at the university, or in another place and in another way.

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