title: Colorado surveillance program for chronic wasting disease transmission to humans: lessons from 2 highly suspicious but negative cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe 2 patients with rapidly progressive dementia and risk factors for exposure to chronic wasting disease (CWD) in whom extensive testing negated the possible transmission of CWD. Design/
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the evaluation of 2 young adults with initial exposure histories and clinical presentations that suggested the possibility of CWD transmission to humans. Patients A 52-year-old woman with possible laboratory exposure to CWD and a 25-year-old man who had consumed meat from a CWD endemic area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical evaluation, neuropathological examination, and genetic testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuropathological and genetic assessment in the 2 patients proved the diagnoses of early-onset Alzheimer disease and a rare genetic prion disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No convincing cases of CWD transmission to humans have been detected in our surveillance program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA. al.anderson@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: C Alan
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosque
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Filley
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Arciniegas
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kleinschmidt-Demasters
authors.forename: W John
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tyler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission*