Influencer Lito Sousa has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal degenerative brain condition that rapidly causes loss of movement and dementia.
The 59-year-old content creator received the diagnosis during a medical follow-up for prostate cancer three months ago, according to a statement released on Friday by his wife, businesswoman Mila Seidl.
With no medical therapy currently available to reverse or halt Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, doctors have advised palliative care to control discomfort and maintain quality of life during critical stages of the illness.
Experimental Harvard research trial
Brazil's Ministry of Health has requested Sousa's participation in the world's only active experimental study on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is conducted by medical researchers at Harvard University in the United States.
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha stated in a post published on social network X on Tuesday that federal officials have been in touch with Sousa's family and international research centers since the weekend to seek support for his inclusion.
Padilha said Sousa has been placed on the screening list for the Harvard research protocol and could enter the trial schedule depending on availability.
Symptom timeline and hospital care
Sousa confirmed a prostate cancer diagnosis in July. While undergoing treatment in August, he noticed a persistent numbness in his left arm.
As the symptom developed, he returned to Brazil to identify the underlying problem, where doctors initially diagnosed him with brain inflammation.
Sousa was hospitalized at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in São Paulo during his evaluation, but he is now scheduled to receive his ongoing treatment at home.
Understanding Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by a prion, an abnormal protein particle that is extraordinarily stable and resistant to conventional physical and chemical disinfection methods.
All human brains contain normal prion proteins encoded by the PRNP gene, but the disease develops when these proteins lose their correct three-dimensional shape.
Medical experts note that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has no single specific cause, though it can be linked to hereditary genetic alterations. Diagnosing the condition remains complex due to its rapid onset and varied manifestations.
Early clinical signs typically include a loss of motor coordination, tremors, involuntary muscle spasms, partial paralysis, memory loss, dementia, speech disturbances, vision changes, fatigue, and altered sleep patterns.
As the condition advances, patients face severe difficulties walking, speaking, swallowing, and carrying out routine daily activities.
