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Human growth hormone and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
S Zekauskas1, M B Boggs, D P Wilson
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine-Tulsa.
Insights
Cadaver-derived human growth hormone (HGH) use was halted in 1985 due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) transmission. Nine patients who received HGH have died from CJD, with many more potentially at risk.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cadaver-derived human growth hormone (HGH) was a standard treatment for short stature in children for over two decades.
- Concerns arose in 1985 when deaths linked to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) were reported in HGH recipients.
- CJD is a fatal, degenerative neurological disorder caused by infectious agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To inform healthcare providers about the risk of CJD transmission through contaminated HGH.
- To highlight the potential risk to children and adolescents who received HGH prior to 1985.
- To emphasize the importance of ongoing vigilance and awareness regarding CJD in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Review of reported cases of CJD in individuals who received cadaver-derived HGH.
- Epidemiological investigation into the source of CJD contamination.
- Identification of at-risk populations, including children treated in Oklahoma.
Main Results:
- Nine cases of CJD have been confirmed in HGH recipients globally (7 in the US, 1 in the UK, 1 in New Zealand).
- Contaminated HGH is the suspected source of CJD transmission.
- Approximately 60 children and adolescents in Oklahoma are potentially at risk.
Conclusions:
- The use of cadaver-derived HGH posed a significant risk of CJD transmission.
- Healthcare providers must be aware of this risk and monitor potentially exposed individuals.
- Continued surveillance and research are crucial for managing and preventing future cases.
Abstract:
For more than 20 years cadaver-derived human growth hormone (HGH) was used successfully to enhance linear growth in short children. In 1985 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stopped use of the hormone in response to reported deaths due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD) agent in 3 former HGH recipients. To date, a total of 9 patients have been identified who both received HGH and became infected with CJD agent (7 in the United States, 1 in Britain, and 1 in New Zealand). Circumstances make it likely that HGH contaminated with a slow growing, viral-like particle may have been responsible for these fatalities. In Oklahoma at least 60 children and adolescents previously received HGH and are potentially at risk of developing CJD. It is important that health care providers responsible for the care of these individuals be aware of this fatal illness and remain informed of new developments in the field.