The mysterious disease is causing a swift cognitive decline among those affected. The condition is presently concentrated in New Brunswick, Canada.
At a time when the world is still reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic, many other new diseases are also being reported from different parts of the world. After Havana syndrome and a mystery disease in Sudan, now an anonymous Canadian whistleblower has said that more people are developing symptoms of a mysterious degenerative neurological condition.
The employee of Vitalité health network has revealed that the illness is targeting a growing number of young people. The mysterious disease is causing a swift cognitive decline among those who are affected. The condition is presently concentrated in New Brunswick, on Canada's Atlantic coast.
Researchers are analysing the condition for the past two years but there is no breakthrough in understanding as to what causes the disease. The mysterious illness was for the first time reported in 2021 and since then 48 people have been diagnosed with the disease. However, several other sources claim this number could be as high as 150.
An epidemiological study by the New Brunswick health department ruled out any food, behaviour or environmental exposure that could be causing the illness. However, one growing concern is the pace with which it has affected these young people.
What are the symptoms of the illness
The mysterious disease affects women and men equally, in the age group of 18 to 85 year old.
It include memory problems, muscle spasms, extreme and unexplained weight loss, limb pain and hallucinations.
Some other symptoms of the disease includes insomnia, difficulty in thinking and limited mobility of the patient.
The mysterious disease symptoms are visible in young adults with no previous health issues and this is alarming.
The mysterious degenerative neurological condition was originally hypothesized to be a human prion disease.
In this proteins called prions causes normal proteins to fold abnormally, but tests have shown this is not the case.
Many symptoms suggest that environmental factors may have contributed to the mysterious disease.
Case study
One suspected case includes a man who was developing symptoms of dementia and ataxia and later the wife also developed symptoms.
The wife who was also his caregiver suddenly started losing her sleep and experiencing muscle wasting, dementia and hallucinations.
In another case, the doctors witnessed sudden weight loss in a man with this mysterious condition as he lost nearly 60 pounds.
Doctors say this patient also developed insomnia (sleeplessness) and began hallucinating. Brain imaging showed advanced signs of atrophy.
Likely causes of the disease
There has been speculation that the condition could be caused by high levels of beta-Methylamino-L-alanine or BMAA.
High concentrations of beta-Methylamino-L-alanine are found in lobsters, an important industry on New Brunswick's coast.
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 "Degenerative mystery illness affecting young adults")
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