Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital has formed a task force to investigate a probable case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, also known as mad-cow disease.

A woman patient aged 83 was admitted August 8 with recurrent episodes of positional vertigo with tinnitus and hearing impairment. Her condition continued to deteriorate afterwards with deteriorating cognitive function, confused speech and twitching of the face and limbs. She died September 22.

Clinical screening confirmed it was a probable case of classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Further confirmation will be made through a post-mortem examination.

The patient received a cataract operation at the hospital January 8, 2004. Although the surgical instruments had undergone thorough sterilisation the risk of cross-contamination, which is extremely low, cannot be absolutely eliminated as Prion-Protein is unlikely to be inactivated by normal sterilisation procedure.

Ten patients underwent cataract operations January 9 to 13, 2004, and might have had contact with related surgical instruments. The hospital has started contacting affected patients and their families.

The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority and the Centre for Health Protection.